Tafsir of Al-Ma'idah 5:27

(And recite to them) is a conjunction to a hidden [preceding] clause to which the statement of the Exalted, "And when Moses said..." is linked. Its connection to it is said to be by way of a prelude to what will follow, if the Exalted wills, regarding the crimes of the Children of Israel after what was ordained for them had been ordained, and the messengers had come to them with the clear proofs. It is also said that it is linked because the first [incident] involved cowardice regarding killing, while this one involves the resolve to commit it, while both are acts of disobedience.

The pronoun "them" (in "to them") refers to the Children of Israel, as is apparent, since they are the ones spoken of initially. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was ordered to recite this to them to inform them of what lies within the hidden reaches of their early scriptures—to which the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) had no access except through revelation—so that the argument might be established against them thereby. Others say the pronoun refers to this [Muslim] nation, meaning: "Recite, O Muhammad, to your people."

(The news of the two sons of Adam): Habil (Abel), upon whom be mercy, and Qabil (Cain), upon whom be what he deserves. By the consensus of the majority of exegetes, they were the biological sons of Adam, upon him be peace. Al-Hasan said they were two men from the Children of Israel, but the hand of the Exalted is with the community.

Their story is as narrated by Ibn Jarir from Ibn Mas’ud and a group of the Companions, may the Exalted be pleased with them all: No child was born to Adam, upon him be peace, except that a girl was born with him. He would marry the boy of this womb to the girl of the other womb, and the girl of this womb to the boy of the other womb. He made the separation of wombs equivalent to the separation of lineage out of necessity at that time, until he had two sons, called Habil and Qabil. Qabil was a tiller of land, and Habil was a keeper of livestock. Qabil was the elder, and he had a sister named Iqlima, who was more beautiful than the sister of Habil. Habil asked to marry Qabil’s sister, but Qabil refused him and said, "She is my sister, born with me, and she is more beautiful than your sister; I am more entitled to marry her."

Their father ordered him to give her in marriage to Habil, but he refused. He [Adam] said to them, "Both of you offer a sacrifice; whoever's is accepted among you shall marry her." He ordered this knowing that it would not be accepted from Qabil, not that it would be permissible [for Habil to marry his own sister] if it were accepted. Then the Prophet [Adam] departed from them, going to Mecca to look toward it. He said to the sky, "Guard my children with the trust," but it refused. He said to the earth, but it refused. He said to the mountains, but they refused. He said to Qabil, and he said, "Yes, you go and return, and you shall find your family as you please."

When Adam, upon him be peace, departed, they offered a sacrifice. Habil offered a young she-camel—some say a ram—and Qabil offered a bundle of wheat. He found a great ear of wheat in it, rubbed it, and ate it. Then fire descended and consumed Habil's sacrifice, which was the sign of acceptance—for the consumption of the sacrifice was not permissible in the old law—and Qabil's sacrifice was left. He became angry and said, "I will surely kill you." He answered him as the Exalted has related.

(In truth) is linked to a hidden [word] that acts as an adjective to the verbal noun "recite"—that is, "recite a recitation characterized by truth and correctness"—or it is an adverbial state (hal) from the subject of "recite" or its object, meaning "you being in truth" or "their news being in truth and honesty," agreeing with what is in the scriptures of the ancients.

His statement, the Exalted, (When they offered a sacrifice) is an adverb of time for "the news," and it is governed by it because it [the news] is a verbal noun in essence, and a scent of the verb is sufficient for the adverb. It is permitted that it be linked to a hidden [word] acting as an adverbial state (hal) from it [the news], but this has been refuted by saying that in that case, it would be a constraint on its agent, which is the future "recite," while "when" (idh) is for the past; thus they do not meet. Hence, it is linked to it [the news] because of its manifest [nature]. It may be answered by noting the difference between the two interpretations, so contemplate this.

It is also said that it is a substitute for "news" with the omission of the [implied] possessive noun so that it may correctly be "recited," meaning: "Recite to them their news, the news of that time." This was refuted in al-Bahr on the grounds that nothing is annexed to idh except time, like "that day" and "at that time," and "news" is not a time. It was answered by denying this, and there is no difference between "the news of that time" and "the news [of] when...," as both are correct in meaning and grammar. The claim that the first is permissible by hearing while the second is not, without proof, is an impossible task.

"The sacrifice" (Qurban) is a name for that by which one draws near to Allah, whether it be a slaughtered animal or something else, like "al-hulwan" (a gift) which is what is made sweet, i.e., given. Its singular form is because it is originally a verbal noun. It is said its estimation is: "When each of them offered a sacrifice."

(And it was accepted from one of them), who is Habil, (and was not accepted from the other) because he was displeased with the judgment of Allah, which was the prohibition of marrying the twin sister.

(He said)—an interruption [in the narrative] or a question arising from the previous speech, as if it were said: "What did the one whose sacrifice was not accepted say?" It is said: He said to his brother, out of the excess of envy for the acceptance of his sacrifice and his high status with his Lord, the Almighty and Majestic, as the following speech indicates. It is also said: [He said this] because of what was to happen regarding the taking of his beautiful sister.

(I will surely kill you)—that is, "By Allah, I will surely kill you," with the emphatic nun. It is also read with the light nun.

(He said)—an interruption like the one before it, meaning the one whose sacrifice was accepted said, when he saw the envy of his brother: (Indeed, Allah only accepts)—that is, the sacrifice and obedience—(from the righteous), in that [act], by purifying the intention therein for Allah, and not from others. The meaning of "righteousness" (taqwa) is not "righteousness from polytheism," which is the first of the levels, as has been said. His intent in this response is: "You have only been brought to this by your own self, due to its stripping away of the garment of righteousness, not by me; so you shall not kill me. Why do you not reproach yourself and compel it to the righteousness of Allah, which is the cause of acceptance?" This is a wise, concise, and comprehensive answer.

In it is an indication that the envious person should view his deprivation as stemming from his own shortcoming and should strive to acquire that by which the envied became fortunate, not in removing his [the envied's] fortune and grace; for his striving in the aforementioned [destroying the envied's grace] harms him and does not benefit him.

It is also said: His intent is a metonymy that he will not refrain from the judgment of Allah due to his [the brother's] threat, because he is righteous, and the righteous prefers compliance over life. Or [it is a metonymy] that he will not kill him [back] to ward off his killing, because he is righteous, and this acts as a prelude to what follows. Its distance [from the primary meaning] is not hidden. How admonishing is this verse to those who perform their deeds!

It is reported from ‘Amir ibn ‘Abd Allah that he wept when death approached him. It was said to him, "What makes you weep, when you were [such and such] and [such and such]?" He said, "I hear the Exalted say: 'Indeed, Allah only accepts from the righteous.'"