۞ Recite to them in all truth the news of Adam's two sons; how they each made an offering, and how the offering of the one was accepted while that of the other was not. He said: 'I will surely kill you' (The other) said: 'Allah accepts only from the righteous. 27 If you raise your hand to kill me, I will raise not mine to kill you, for I fear God, the Lord of all the worlds; 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 Then his soul prompted him to slay his brother, and he slew him, and became one of the losers. 30 Then Allah sent a crow digging up the earth so that he might show him how he should cover the dead body of his brother. He said: Woe me! do I lack the strength that I should be like this crow and cover the dead body of my brother? So he became of those who regret. 31 That is why We decreed for the children of Israel that whosoever kills a human being, except (as punishment) for murder or for spreading corruption in the land, it shall be like killing all humanity; and whosoever saves a life, saves the entire human race. Our apostles brought clear proofs to them; but even after that most of them committed excesses 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 you gain power over them: for you must know that God is forgiving and merciful. 34