۞ And recite to them the true tale of the two sons of Adam; when both of them offered a sacrifice each – hence the sacrifice of one was accepted and not accepted from the other; he (the other) said, “I swear I will kill you”; he answered, “Allah accepts only from the pious.” 27 Even if you stretch forth your hand against me to kill, I will not stretch forth my hand to kill you. Surely, I fear Allah, the Lord of the entire universe. 28 Lo! I would rather thou shouldst bear the punishment of the sin against me and thine own sin and become one of the owners of the fire. That is the reward of evil-doers. 29 His soul made it seem fair to him to slay his brother; he killed him and became one of the lost. 30 Then Allah sent a raven scratching in the earth to show him in what wise he might cover the corpse of his brother. He said: woe unto me, I was incapable of being like unto this raven so that I might cover the corpse of my brother! And he became of the remorseful. 31 That was why We wrote for the Children of Israel that who ever killed a soul, except for a soul slain, or for sedition in the earth, it should be considered as though he had killed all mankind; and that who ever saved it should be regarded as though he had saved all mankind. Our Messengers brought them proofs; then many of them thereafter commit excesses in the earth. 32 The only reward of those who make war upon Allah and His messenger and strive after corruption in the land will be that they will be killed or crucified, or have their hands and feet on alternate sides cut off, or will be expelled out of the land. Such will be their degradation in the world, and in the Hereafter theirs will be an awful doom; 33 except for those who repent before you gain power over them: for you must know that God is forgiving and merciful. 34