۞ Narrate to them exactly the tale of the two sons of Adam. When each of them offered a sacrifice (to God), that of one was accepted, and that of the other was not. Said (the other): "I will murder you," and the one replied: "God only accepts from those who are upright and preserve themselves from evil. 27 Even if thou lay thy hand on me to slay me, I shall not lay my hand on thee to slay thee: behold, I fear God, the Sustainer of all the worlds. 28 Verily would that thou bear my sin and thine own sin, and then thou become of the fellows of the Fire; that is the meed of the wrong-doers. 29 (Cain's) soul prompted him to kill his own brother. In doing so he became of those who lose. 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 For this reason did We prescribe to the children of Israel that whoever slays a soul, unless it be for manslaughter or for mischief in the land, it is as though he slew all men; and whoever keeps it alive, it is as though he kept alive all men; and certainly Our apostles came to them with clear arguments, but even after that many of them certainly act extravagantly in the land. 32 The punishment of those who wage war against Allah and His Messenger, and strive with might and main for mischief through the land is: execution, or crucifixion, or the cutting off of hands and feet from opposite sides, or exile from the land: that is their disgrace in this world, and a heavy punishment is theirs in the Hereafter; 33 Except for those who repent before they fall into your power: in that case, know that Allah is Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful. 34