"[And recite] unto them"—read to them—"the news of the two sons of Adam"—that is, their story—"when they both offered a sacrifice," the verse.
Al-Kalbi said:
Eve used to give birth in [every] pregnancy to two: a boy and a girl. She gave birth in the first pregnancy to Cain and his sister, and in the second pregnancy to Abel and his sister. When they reached maturity, Adam was commanded that Cain should marry the sister of Abel, and Abel the sister of Cain. Adam informed his wife of what he was commanded, and she mentioned it to her two sons. Abel was satisfied with what he was commanded, but Cain was resentful because his sister was the more beautiful of the two. He said: "God never commanded this, but this is your own command, O Adam." Adam said: "Then offer your sacrifice; whoever of you is more worthy of her [shall have her]." God sent down fire from the sky, and it consumed the sacrifice, and they were satisfied with that. Abel, who was a shepherd, went to the best of his livestock, their butter, and milk. Cain was a farmer, so he took from the fruits of his crops. Then they ascended the mountain, with Adam accompanying them. They placed the sacrifice on the mountain, and Adam prayed to his Lord. Cain said to himself: "I do not know whether it will be accepted from me or not; Abel shall never marry my sister." The fire descended and consumed the sacrifice of Abel, and avoided the sacrifice of Cain because he was not pure of heart. They descended from the mountain. [Cain set out towards Abel while he was with his flock and said: "I will surely kill you." Abel asked: "Why?" He said: "Because God accepted from you and rejected my sacrifice, and you will marry my beautiful sister, while I will marry your ugly sister," and people will say after today that you are better than me.]
﴿واتل عَلَيْهِم﴾ اقْرَأْ عَلَيْهِمْ ﴿نَبَأَ ابْنَيْ آدَمَ﴾ أَيْ: خَبَرَهُمَا: ﴿إِذْ قَرَّبَا قُرْبَانًا﴾ الْآيَةَ.
قَالَ الْكَلْبِيُّ:
كَانَتْ حَوَّاءُ تَلِدُ فِي [كُلِّ] بَطْنٍ اثْنَيْنِ: غُلَامًا وَجَارِيَةً؛ فَوَلَدَتْ فِي أَوَّلِ بَطْنٍ قَابِيلَ وَأُخْتَهُ، وَفِي الْبَطْنِ الثَّانِي هَابِيلَ وَأُخْتَهُ؛ فَلَمَّا أَدْرَكُوا، أُمِرَ آدَمُ أَنْ يَنْكِحَ قَابِيلُ أُخْتَ هَابِيلَ، وَهَابِيلُ أُخْتَ قَابِيلَ؛ فَقَالَ آدَمُ لِامْرَأَتِهِ الَّذِي أُمِرَ بِهِ، فَذَكَرَتْهُ لِابْنَيْهَا فَرَضِيَ هَابِيلُ بِالَّذِي أُمِرَ بِهِ وَسَخِطَ قَابِيلُ لِأَنَّ أُخْتَهُ كَانَتْ أَحْسَنَهُمَا؛ فَقَالَ: مَا أَمَرَ اللَّهُ بِهَذَا قَطُّ، وَلَكِنَّ هَذَا عَنْ أَمْرِكَ يَا آدَمُ ﴿قَالَ آدَمُ: فَقَرِّبَا قُرْبَانَكُمَا؛ فَأَيُّكُمَا كَانَ أَحَقَّ بِهَا، أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ نَارًا مِنَ السَّمَاءِ فَأَكَلَتِ الْقُرْبَانَ. فَرَضِيَا بِذَلِكَ؛ فَعَمَدَ هَابِيلُ، وَكَانَ صَاحِبَ مَاشِيَةٍ إِلَى خَيْرِ غِذَاءٍ غَنَمِهِ وَزُبْدٍ وَلَبَنٍ، وَكَانَ قَابِيلُ زَرَّاعًا فَأَخَذَ مِنَ ثَمَرِ زَرْعِهِ، ثُمَّ صَعِدَا الْجَبَلَ وَآدَمُ مَعَهُمَا، فَوَضَعَا الْقُرْبَانَ عَلَى الْجَبَلِ فَدَعَا آدَمُ رَبَّهُ، وَقَالَ قَابِيلُ فِي نَفْسِهِ: مَا أَدْرِي أَيُقْبَلُ مِنِّي أَمْ لَا؟ لَا يَنْكِحُ هَابِيلُ أُخْتِي أَبَدًا، فَنَزَلَتِ النَّارُ فَأَكَلَتْ قُرْبَانَ هَابِيلَ، وَتَجَنَّبَتْ قُرْبَانَ قَابِيلَ؛ لِأَنَّهُ لَمْ يَكُنْ زَاكِيَ الْقَلْبِ، فَنَزَلُوا مِنَ الْجَبَلِ [فَانْطَلَقَ قَابِيلُ إِلَى هَابِيلَ وَهُوَ فِي غَنَمِهِ فَقَالَ: لَأَقْتُلَنَّكَ] قَالَ: لِمَ؟﴾ قَالَ: لِأَنَّ اللَّهَ تَقَبَّلَ مِنْكَ، وَرَدَّ عَلَيَّ قُرْبَانِي، [وَتَنْكِحُ أُخْتِيَ الْحُسْنَى، وَأَنْكِحُ أُخْتَكَ الْقَبِيحَةَ] وَيَتَحَدَّثُ النَّاسُ بَعْدَ الْيَوْمِ أَنَّكَ خَيْرٌ مني.
