Ramadan Lecture Series 1445 A.H.

Presented by Al-Sayyid Abdul Malik Badruddin Al-Houthi

Lecture Nineteen

Tuesday, 23 Ramadan 1445 A.H. (2 April 2024 A.D.)

The Story of Adam’s Two Sons
(Part Two)
The Crime of Murder: Causes, Consequences, and Prevention Methods

I seek refuge in Allah from Satan, the outcast.

In the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful.

Praise is to Allah, Lord of the Worlds. I believe that there is no god but Allah, the Sovereign and the Manifest Truth, and that Muhammad, our master, is His servant, Messenger, and Last Prophet.

O Allah! Confer Your salat and blessings upon Muhammad and the Family of Muhammad as You conferred Your salat and blessings upon Ibrahim and the Family of Ibrahim. You are Owner of Praise, Owner of Glory! And be pleased with Muhammad's good companions and all Your righteous servants and mujahidin.

O Allah! Guide us and grant us acceptance, for You are the Hearing, the Knowing; accept our repentance, for You are the Relenting and the Merciful.

Brothers and sisters, peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah and His blessings.

Today, we continue to draw lessons and insights from the story of Adam’s two sons, as we are going to conclude our discussion of the story in this lecture with some key lessons that should be learned from this story, which took place at the dawn of history, at the very beginning of human existence—in the first generation of Adam’s offspring. It is the story of such an unfortunate incident that established a terrible practice—a practice initiated by the transgressing, murderous, and unjust son of Adam. He brought upon himself such a heavy burden due to that act and made him responsible for every subsequent act of murder thereafter, (We seek refuge with Allah).

It is well-known among people that the name of the aggressive, envious murderer from the sons of Adam is Qabil and that the name of the pious one who was wrongfully killed and assaulted is Habil. This is based on what has been mentioned in narrations and historical accounts. In fact, there was a mistake on the part of some translators of the Quranic meanings. These translators attempt to convey the Quran by translating its meanings, since it is not feasible to translate the Quranic text itself into a language other than its original Arabic, as Allah says about it: {'In a clear Arabic language'}. They translate the meaning of the text into various other languages. Some translators mentioned these names (Qabil and Habil) when translating the meaning of this Quranic verse, including them in the translation as if they appeared in the verse itself. Consequently, some resentful members of the People of the Book and certain Western orientalists who doubt Islam and the Quran have exploited this to stir controversy around the names: What is the true name of Qabil, and what is the true name of Habil? They ask what the names of each of them (the sons of Adam) in reality are: Are they Qabil and Habil or Qabin and Qayin—or something else? In fact, the Quranic verse did not mention the names at all. It referred to them as the two sons of Adam: {'Recite to them in truth the story of Adam’s two sons'}. Therefore, it was a mistake for those who translated to present the names as if they were in the Quranic text, while they were not; they were only mentioned in narrations.

The important moral lesson to learn from this story

At the forefront of the important lessons that every person should learn from this story is the moral lesson. It is a very important lesson that helps us nurture and purify souls. The children of Adam (PBUH), the first generation of his offspring, were raised on monotheism in a religious, righteous, and believing family. From his position of fatherhood, with the tenderness and care of a father, from the position of prophecy (as he was the Prophet of Allah and His chosen one), and after his experience in the story of the tree and the expulsion from the garden (which was bitter, painful, and regrettable), their father Adam was very concerned about their upbringing. He wanted them to grow up righteously, to be nurtured in faith, and to have pure souls as righteous believers. Even when the events of the story began to unfold, they were engaged in one of the acts of worship that Allah had prescribed for them during that earlier generation: the act of drawing closer to Allah (Glory be to Him) through offerings. Therefore, it was not by coincidence that the atmosphere of worship and drawing close to Allah (the Almighty) shifted towards criminality in the case of the murderous, transgressive son of Adam, called as Qabil—from that atmosphere of worship and drawing close to Allah to a state of crime marked by malevolence, envy, and a hostile, tyrannical attitude. It is as if, while praying and immersed in remembrance of Allah, one could suddenly shift into committing a heinous, aggressive crime by taking the life of an innocent person.

That state was not accidental: the rapid transformation from an atmosphere of worship to one of crime. It had deep roots in his past behaviour. He had gradually lost his sense of piety and commitment to piety. His persistence in sin and failure to purify his soul and respond positively to what was offered by his father, the Prophet Adam (PBUH), who provided him with divine guidance and a sound, faith-based upbringing—all that had a negative impact on him, allowing flaws to grow within him. In fact, flaws can grow within the human soul, as human beings can be inclined towards both good and evil: Allah (Glory be to Him) says about the human soul, {'then with right and wrong inspired it!'}. Thus, the negative state within him grew, and the sins he practised left their dangerous and harmful effects on his soul.

When a person is engaged in security work, military tasks, or any similar duty, he must remain cautious and act on evidence. He should not act rashly or misuse his weapon in a way that might entangle him in such a crime. This is very important. As a reminder, Allah (Glory be to Him) instructs the believers, {'When you go forth in the cause of Allah, investigate; and do not say to one who gives you peace, "You are not a believer," aspiring for the goods of worldly life; for with Allah are many acquisitions'}, and He also says, {'If an evildoer brings you any news, verify so you do not harm people unknowingly and become regretful for what you have done'}. One must always be vigilant and cautious.

For instance, if someone is at a security checkpoint, he should not recklessly fire at passing cars or at any person for the slightest infraction. They must not resort to shooting as a means of dealing with minor violations related to the movement of people and similar activities. One should only use a weapon in absolutely necessary situations, and one must be careful to avoid becoming involved in killing a person. This is a matter of utmost importance.

• One of the important, dangerous, and sensitive issues is the blind, ignorant reaction some people have: When a relative or friend is murdered unjustly, they may respond with an ignorant, blind retaliation by targeting the wrong individuals who are innocent and have nothing to do with the situation. They are not involved in the crime. This is a pre-Islamic mentality rooted in the concept of blind vengeance, where the punishment is unjustly directed at someone other than the actual perpetrator. This approach—seeking revenge by killing an innocent person from the perpetrator's family, tribe, or friends—is an ancient custom and has no place in Islam. Allah (the Almighty) warns against this in the Holy Quran, stating, {'And whoever is killed unjustly, We have given his heir authority, but let him not exceed limits in taking life. Indeed, he has been supported'}. It is considered an excess to kill someone who is not the actual offender, to take the life of another innocent person. Therefore, this reaction is extremely dangerous and has serious repercussions and consequences. This makes the person a criminal, much like the original perpetrator who unjustly killed his relative or friend. He becomes like the offender.

The wicked are the tools of Satan and the source of evil and trouble!

One of the important lessons learned from the story is that the source of problems and evil in society comes from the wicked, whose souls are tainted by very dangerous afflictions that contradict piety and faith, such as arrogance, miserliness, envy, and greed. They are the ones who pose a real threat to society; they become instruments of Satan and endanger society. This is a crucial point because, typically, those who engage in wrongdoing or criminal behaviour try to present themselves in an acceptable manner in the eyes of society. They often work to distort the image of others who could help limit their criminality, their malevolence, and their danger to society. Sometimes, some of these wrongdoers receive social support. Despite knowing them as criminals, oppressors, unjust bloodshedders, and ruthless aggressors, their friends or tribe may fervently support these individuals and stand by them, embodying the zeal and fanaticism of the Ignorance Era, which the Messenger of Allah (PBUH&F) warned against and defined as, 'that you help your people in wrongdoing'. This is the fanaticism of the Ignorance Era: 'that you help your people in wrongdoing'. Therefore, at the social level, individuals who are criminals, aggressors, oppressors, or evildoers should not be granted social protection or support.

On a broader and more comprehensive level beyond the social context, at the level of entities, groups, and bodies that have negative agendas, engage in criminal and brutal practices, implement flawed policies, and pursue unjust goals through evil and criminality—they should be viewed as a source of evil for society, and people should understand that such entities are neither truthful nor justified in instilling fear in society of believers, the righteous, and the pious. The source of corruption and crime lies in that negative state of defiling souls with inflictions, which branch out into crimes, vices, and injustices.

As for the path of piety and faith, it is a path for the goodness and benefit of society. It is because the pious are mindful of Allah. In the story of the pious, wronged son of Adam, we find that he said, {'Indeed, I fear Allah, the Lord of the worlds'}. He made it clear to his brother that he harboured no will or intention of killing him and that he would not seek to kill him. Indeed, he clarified to him and followed that by saying, {'Indeed, I fear Allah, the Lord of the worlds'}. Thus, the path of faith and piety is one that benefits society and ensures its security. And the pious are the ones who never harbour evil will, and they do fear Allah, the Almighty.

There is an important lesson related to the story that benefits people by enhancing their awareness, insight, and evaluation of groups, entities, and orientations that either promote good or pose a threat to the safety of society: We should realise that evil can keep growing within the human soul, leading a person to become criminal, ruthless, hard-hearted, and bold in committing injustice, murder, and reckless acts that endanger people's lives. This turns a person into a savage, aggressive criminal who is bold in shedding blood, thereby posing a threat to people's lives and security.

This is what we have clearly observed in the case of the murderous, aggressive son of Adam, who did not benefit nor got affected by that admonition or that speech addressed to him by his wronged, oppressed, and pious brother, who had done him no wrong at all. He addressed him with a deeply moving speech, yet he did not benefit from it. He warned him of the gravity of that action (the crime of murder) and its consequences in the Hereafter. He warned him of the fire of Jahannam. However, none of that affected him in the slightest.

The groups of evil and the culture of crime and murder: Examples from history and the present!

Evil has grown in some groups of people. Their culture on the one hand and their way of thinking on the other, as well as their psychological state, their greed, their malevolence, and the vices that they were raised on and have grown up with—all these factors help, prepare, and enable them to commit crimes, no matter their nature and no matter how heinous, horrific, or extremely dangerous they may be. History bears witness to this, and such groups have been responsible for the greatest tragedies in human reality.

For example, in Islamic history, during the Mongol invasion of the Islamic world, how did the Mongols act? How were their criminal, destructive, horrific practices? They exterminated the populations of entire cities. When they reached a city with a population of 300,000, they proceeded to execute and kill them all (men, women, and children, the young and the old), in addition to violating their honour, raping women before killing them, and completely destroying the cities. Moreover, when they reached Baghdad, which was then the capital of the Islamic Ummah, they killed one million Muslims. They killed one million human beings (including children and women, the elderly and the young), to the extent of turning the Tigris River red from the sheer amount of blood.

Another example is the Crusaders' attacks during their Crusades. There were eight crusades in history where the Crusaders killed and exterminated hundreds of thousands of Muslims, in addition to enslaving many Muslim women and taking them to Europe.

Similarly, for example, in modern history, we also find that the Europeans committed acts of genocide, murder, and oppression against peoples in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. They committed genocides that wiped out millions—they killed millions! In Algeria, they exterminated two million Muslim Algerians, including children and women, the elderly and the young. They also wiped out a third of the Libyan population. The total number of people they killed in other societies and countries amounts to millions; they killed and annihilated them.

In this era, this crime and this extremely terrible practice have expanded significantly, especially with the enormous capabilities available today. Over the last few centuries, particularly in the past three hundred years, the means and capabilities used by the wicked to commit mass genocides have developed: Bombs, cannons, missiles, and other means are used to collectively annihilate people (children and women, the elderly and the young) without distinction. They employ bombs, artillery, missiles, and other means to systematically wipe out people—children, women, the elderly, and the young—without any distinction. They have no boundaries, no regulations, no ethics, and no commitments—nothing. The criminality of Western European occupiers and their extermination of millions in the three continents are well known.

The Children of Israel: The most dangerous group and the source of all evil!

Among the groups that are a source of evil, threat, criminality, savagery, and disregard for people's lives are the Children of Israel. Therefore, after narrating the story in Surah Al-Ma'idah, Allah linked it to the Children of Israel and made the severity of this crime reach such an extreme level for them in what He decreed upon them: After mentioning the story immediately, Allah (the Almighty) says, {'Because of that, We decreed upon the Children of Israel that whoever kills a soul unless for a soul or for corruption in the land, it is as if he had slain mankind entirely. And whoever saves one, it is as if he had saved mankind entirely. And Our messengers had certainly come to them with clear proofs. Then indeed many of them, after that, throughout the land, were transgressors'}.

The Children of Israel have long been known for their boldness in shedding blood and their disregard for people's lives. They possess the same mentality as that of the son of Adam, said to be named Qabil. They harbour the same spirit of evil, malevolence, envy, arrogance, disregard for people's lives, and boldness in shedding blood. It is also well known that they orchestrated the World Wars that brought about extremely horrific disasters and tragedies in which more than fifty million people were killed! Indeed, extremely horrific extermination took place. Indeed, it is known that the Jews were the ones who orchestrated the World Wars (World I and World War II) and ignited them. Also, they encouraged killing, criminality, and genocide and laid the base for it.

America—whose role became prominent after World War II and which has long been under the influence of the Zionist Jewish lobby—annihilated a quarter of a million people in Japan within minutes by using atomic bombs! It used atomic bombs, the most devastating means of destruction and extermination, directly against civilians rather than on battlefields or amid combat! They were aimed squarely at the people in Japan’s major cities at the time—Hiroshima and Nagasaki—killing and incinerating a quarter of a million individuals in mere minutes with the most devastating means of destruction.

This level of savagery, criminality, and utter disregard for human life is driven by an evil culture that breeds aggressive, criminal mindsets that justify any act in pursuit of material or political gain—no matter how heinous. For them, the end, even if malicious, justifies the means.

That is why we see this Quranic statement starts with a very significant admonition: {'Because of that'}. It reminds us that because of those criminals who show disregard for human life, the severity of murder has reached such an extreme that{'Whoever kills a soul unless for a soul or for corruption on the earth, it is as if he had slain mankind entirely'}, while it extols the value of life by declaring, {'And whoever saves one, it is as if he had saved mankind entirely.'}

{'But, even after that, many of them continued to commit excesses on the earth'}. It is no secret what the Israelis—the enemies of Allah and humanity—are doing in Palestine. Since the beginning of their occupation, they have engaged in the most heinous criminal practices. What they are carrying out now in the Gaza Strip are truly horrifying crimes. They openly boast about killing children and women, doing so deliberately. They have even designated numerous civilian areas as 'execution zones', where they murder people in cold blood. They deliberately target unarmed civilians, despite knowing that they carry no weapons and are not considered combatants. They even take perverse pride in recounting their criminal actions: killing children and women and deliberately targeting essential service facilities such as hospitals and their surroundings. Their atrocities at the Shifa Medical Complex in Gaza and its vicinity are utterly appalling. They run over disabled patients with tank treads, deliberately murder children, and even deprive patients of the oxygen and medical equipment necessary for sustaining life. They also target children in nurseries, reflecting truly horrific criminality, extreme savagery, and a complete disregard for human life.

Establishing punishments and prescribing jihad as a deterrent against evil groups!

For this reason, Allah (Glory be to Him) has prescribed punishments and retributions, as we see in the very context following this story:

• Firstly, Allah spoke about the Children of Israel and increased the burden of this crime for them.
• Secondly, He warned of the punishment for those who wage war against Allah and His Messenger. The war against Allah and His Messenger is essentially a war against His servants—it manifests as oppression, a reckless disregard for human life, transgression, aggression, persecution, and a blatant violation of the sanctity of life. An effective, deterrent retribution has been decreed for them.
• Following this deterrent punishment, the Quran further emphasised the necessity of striving in the way of Allah: {'O you who believe, fear Allah and seek the means to Him and strive in His cause so that you may succeed'}. This is because it is imperative to establish and maintain a state of deterrence to stop such groups. These criminal elements are impervious to mere admonition, initiatives, or dialogue; only effective deterrence through real punitive measures can restrain them. Hence, the Holy Quran emphasised the necessity of jihad within the context of this story, for there must be deterrence.

We can clearly see how different from that the religious obligation of jihad for the sake of Allah is. This is clear in its sacred objectives, constraints, and guidelines grounded in lofty values, high moral principles, and divine principles that keep people away from injustice, oppression, and aggression. At the same time, if any wrongful or individual acts occur, they are controlled, limited, and rectified.

When we turn to the Holy Quran, we see that Allah has prescribed jihad to confront those wicked criminals who threaten the life, security, stability, and livelihood of society. They engage in oppression, injustice, aggression, murder, mass extermination, the plundering of property, the violation of dignity, persecution, and so on. That is why Allah says, {'And were it not for Allah repelling some people by means of others, the earth would indeed become corrupted'}. This is meant to counter the very types of people that Allah described as, {'And when he goes away, he strives throughout the land to cause corruption therein and destroy crops and progeny. And Allah does not like corruption'}. This is precisely what the Israelis do: They destroy crops and progeny, annihilate life, demolish everything, and target everything.

Furthermore, when we look at the instructions given by the Messenger (PBUH&F) regarding the religious and ethical guidelines for jihad, we recognise the sacred nature of this struggle and the vast difference between it and the criminal practices of the enemy. Whenever the Messenger (PBUH&F) sent an army, he would give them a number of instructions—of which we mention just a few for brevity: 'Do not kill a child, a woman, or an elderly man who cannot fight you; do not destroy a well; do not cut down trees that do not pose a threat; and do not disfigure a person or an animal'—he asked them to respect the sanctity of the dead and ensure that the living is not oppressed or mistreated—'or commit aggression or injustice.' The Quran is replete with ethical guidelines that determine whom we fight, when we fight, how we fight, why we fight, what our goal is, what our motive is, and what our ultimate purpose should be. All of this must be carried out in the way of Allah, for His sake, in accordance with divine laws and instructions, and along the path He has laid out—all governed by ethical and religious standards, without injustice and without targeting the innocent. The details are many, but this is to provide a general outline that highlights the importance of this matter in contrast to the actions of those wicked criminals.

Groups attributed to Islam: Their criminal practices and destructive objectives!

When we observe actions that are attributed to Muslims and are labelled as jihad—criminal, brutal, and aggressive practices, particularly in the case of extremist groups like Daesh and Al-Qaeda, or similar entities, regimes, and factions that have connections with Jews and Christians, including America and Israel—it is essential to recognise that Islam is innocent of these actions. These groups, which are aligned with the enemies of Allah and humanity, such as the extremist forces like Daesh and other groups linked to America and Israel represent a betrayal of true Islamic principles. The horrific crimes, brutality, and disregard for human life perpetrated by these groups—including the killing of innocents and the brutal targeting of people—are carried out in accordance with their affiliations and loyalties, executing the agendas of the enemies. The Americans seek to associate such criminal acts with Muslims, thereby tarnishing the image of Islam in other Western societies.

We have often clarified in many lectures and lessons that both the Americans and the Israelis seek to achieve two main objectives, whether through extremists or other factions fighting alongside America against the sons of the Muslim Ummah. The Americans and the Israelis aim to create criminal practices that damage the reputation of Islam and Muslims, distorting the image of Islam. Furthermore, they want to exterminate the Ummah and to drain its resources and seek to instil division among its people under misleading, divisive banners. They intend to strike two birds with one stone: to distort Islam and to destroy and exterminate the Ummah.

Therefore, despite the appallingly brutal, horrific crimes committed by the Israelis in Gaza—acts that demonstrate a complete disregard for human life, values, and ethics, resembling and even surpassing those of wild animals—it is possible that the Israelis plan after that to instruct those Israel- and America-linked criminal factions, who are considered as Muslims and Arabs, to commit very heinous crimes. This is all part of a plan to ensure that the prevailing image in the minds of people worldwide is that the heinous crimes are associated with those who are seen as followers of Islam. They rely on this strategy, knowing that after they commit these crimes there, they will encourage those groups to begin their operations, as they prepare for it within the reality of the Ummah.

Therefore, we must possess awareness, insight, and understanding of the reality we live in, particularly regarding the people and the entities that follow the example of Qabil in his mentality and evil. Allah (Glory be to Him) does not want the rest of humanity to always be victims, like Habil. Divine law provides what helps the Ummah to be fortified, resilient, and strong and to prevent those criminals and savages who disregard human life—those who exterminate millions and wield vast resources for slaughter, killing, and destruction, using the latest weapons for mass extermination. There must be a deterrent against them. The Ummah should build itself in accordance with Allah's guidance, for He is the One Who said, {'And Allah wants no injustice to  servants'}; {'And Allah wants no injustice to the worlds'}. He does not want them to be wronged or to be defenceless victims before their enemies because they lack the means for deterrence and are not in a state of strength and might, lacking the capabilities needed to defend themselves. This is why the obligation of jihad was established, and Allah (the Almighty) gave His command: {'Against them make ready your strength to the utmost of your power'}. Allah has also provided those communities striving for goodness with instructions that help them achieve strength, resilience, and might and protect themselves from those criminals and savages who disregard the sanctity of human life.

We also find that Allah's decrees place great importance on preserving human life and saving others: As stated in the Quran, {'And whoever saves one, it is as if he had saved mankind entirely.'} Therefore, when you assist someone—whether in their personal matters or in rescuing others who are in danger of perishing—such as helping them receive treatment for a life-threatening illness, protecting them from a peril that could lead to their demise, saving them from drowning, or rescuing them from a fatal accident, you are engaging in a noble act that carries immense reward: {'It is as if he had saved mankind entirely.'} To seek to prevent chaos, avert problems, or address issues within society to protect people’s lives is a great deed that carries great reward: {'And whoever saves one, it is as if he had saved mankind entirely.'} Even jihad falls within this context, serving as a means of safeguarding society, ensuring its security, and maintaining its stability.

Therefore, what Allah prescribed for us demonstrates His mercy towards His servants, and we can see who the origins of evil and danger to people's lives are and how Satan exploits those whose souls are tainted by ailments such as arrogance, envy, and greed.

We ask Allah (Glory be to Him) to grant us success in seeking what pleases Him. O Allah! Have mercy on our virtuous martyrs, heal the wounded among us, set free our captives, and grant us victory. You are the Hearer of Prayer!

Peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah and His blessings.