Cain and Abel - a hopeful story

A discussion paper by Ida Glaser

"In no other religion in the world is human life to be considered to be so sacred that one man's murder is considered to be the murder of all the human race, and whoever saves a life it is as if he had saved the lives of all mankind:
That if anyone slew a person - unless it be for murder or for spreading mischief in the land - it would be as if he slew the whole people: and if anyone saved a life, it would be as if he saved the life of the whole people." (reference 1)

This introduction to Islamic legislation on murder refers to Surah 5 (Al-Ma'idah) 32, which is one of the most quoted verses in current discussions about violence. An internet search (12.2.03) using one phrase from this verse and the word 'terrorist' produced 145 sites, most of which are arguing that terrorism is contrary to Islamic teaching. In its Qur'anic context, the verse gives Christians as well as Muslims much food for thought in view of current social and political developments.
The Qur'anic context is the account of Cain and Abel, which shares the Biblical version's story of rejected and accepted sacrifices, Cain's anger, a warning against wrong-doing, then the fratricide, loss and subsequent regret Genesis 4v1-16). Both versions present this as a story of primeval murder. Both emphasise the horror of fraternal killing by repeating the word 'brother'. There are many interesting differences of details between the two accounts, which I have explored elsewhere. (reference 2)  I want here to reflect on the overall thrusts of the stories. 

There is a shared teaching that murder has been a mark of the human predicament from the very beginning, that it can occur in the closest of relationships, and that it is the most terrible of crimes. There is a shared understanding that it can arise out of jealousy, and out of wrongly directed anger. After all, Abel had done nothing at all to Cain: it was God, not Abel, who rejected the sacrifice. Where, I ask myself, do current conflicts arise from jealousy and wrongly directed anger - on all sides?

The Qur'anic story is said to have been revealed following a foiled plot against Muhammad's life, and its context in Surah 5 is that of Jewish covenant breaking (5:13-14) and Christian forgetfulness and blasphemy (5:15, 19). It therefore functions as a warning for those opposed to God's prophets and a reassurance for the faithful. The verses immediately following contain legislative material. They allow the death penalty for murder and for 'spreading mischief in the land', and list punishments for opposition to God and His Messenger.

In the light of all this, the story is often seen as a picture of Jewish and Christian opposition to Muslims, just as Christian commentators have sometimes seen it as a picture of Jewish opposition to Christians. Where, I ask myself, do current conflicts reflect wrong Jewish and Christian responses to Muslims? I may want to dissociate Christianity from the imposition of suffering on innocent people as much as most Muslims want to dissociate Islam from terrorism; but I have to face the fact that the long history of Christian hostility towards Muslims is by no means over.
But I also have to ask myself where such an interpretation of the Qur'an indicates Muslim expectations of Jewish and Christian opposition that make relationships difficult before we even meet. As they stand, without the paraphernalia of interpretation, both versions are deeply human stories. They tell us that, from the beginning, humans have judged each other and responded unjustly towards each other. 

It is inevitable that Muslims, Jews and Christians disagree on some things, because Islam, Judaism and Christianity are not the same. Respect for truth will necessarily lead to discussion and challenge. But jealousy and injustice need not follow. They may be part of our common human condition, but there is also goods news in the Cain and Abel story.

In the Qur'anic version, Abel warns his brother, and the story itself stands as a warning that can be heeded. It gives us hope that human beings can avoid such violence. It also reassures us that murder will not go unpunished, and that God will vindicate the innocent.

The Biblical version adds another hope. While the Qur'an focuses on justice for the innocent victim, the Bible focuses on God's interaction with the guilty perpetrator. God Himself warns Cain and offers Him a way of acceptance. God Himself calls him to account after the murder. God sentences him to exile, and not to the death that he deserves. When Cain says that this is too much, God puts a mark of protection on him and promises to avenge him if anyone harms him.

People reading this biblical version for the first time are sometimes perturbed that it makes them feel sympathy for the murderer. Yet this is an important part of the story's context in the Bible. It is part of the account of the creation and fall of humankind, which tells at every stage of God's mercy as well as His judgement. It includes the story of Noah, and God's unconditional commitment to all His creatures. It leads into the call of Abraham, and God's promise to bless all peoples through him. It gives us hope that God loves and wants to save the sinner as well as the victim. 

Without this hope, we can only aspire to be Abel, and may therefore see only our own innocence and the other's guilt. With it, we can admit where we are Cain: we can start by asking where we are wrong. And that gives us all hope. 

Ida Glaser is Director of Studies at ECMCS. She is currently working on a reading of the Bible in its own inter-faith context.

references:
1 A.R. Doi, Shari'ah: The Islamic Law, Ta Ha Publishers, 1984, p229. 

2 An experiment in contextualised comparative hermeneutics, University of Durham PhD thesis, 1994, pp156-168).

From Surah 5
28. Recite to them the truth of the story of the two sons of Adam. Behold! they each presented a sacrifice (to Allah.: It was accepted from one, but not from the other. Said the latter: "Be sure I will slay thee." "Surely," said the former, "(Allah) doth accept of the sacrifice of those who are righteous. 
29. "If thou dost stretch thy hand against me, to slay me, it is not for me to stretch my hand against thee to slay thee: for I do fear Allah, the cherisher of the worlds. 
30. "For me, I intend to let thee draw on thyself my sin as well as thine, for thou wilt be among the companions of the fire, and that is the reward of those who do wrong." 
31. The (selfish) soul of the other led him to the murder of his brother: he murdered him, and became (himself) one of the lost ones. 
32. Then Allah sent a raven, who scratched the ground, to show him how to hide the shame of his brother. "Woe is me!" said he; "Was I not even able to be as this raven, and to hide the shame of my brother?" then he became full of regrets- 
33. On that account: We ordained for the Children of Israel that if any one slew a person - unless it be for murder or for spreading mischief in the land - it would be as if he slew the whole people: and if any one saved a life, it would be as if he saved the life of the whole people. Then although there came to them Our apostles with clear signs, yet, even after that, many of them continued to commit excesses in the land.