Muhammed Komath

The fratricide story of Hābīl and Kābīl (Abel and Cain) is prominent among the Semitic religions. Similar stories of fratricide take different forms in various mythical traditions, particularly a significant one being the story of Romulus and the murder of his brother, as the initial act in the foundation of the city of Rome. The Qur'anic narrative of the fratricide takes an interesting turn that is almost absent in others: the aftermath of the murder. The story continues into the bafflement felt by Kābīl about the corpse of his brother and what to do with it. According to the story, God sends a crow to the sight of Kābīl, scratching in the ground and teaching him how to bury the corpse. The story is presented to underscore the inherent fragility of the human being - internally violent, unguided, and in need of a teacher and guide.