Abel

Bahá'í Writings references

Account of people failing to accept Abel's miracle (of fire from heaven devouring a sacrifice) used by Bahá'u'lláh to show the concept of "Return" was supported by the Qur'án (and also perhaps the pettiness of demanding physical miracles)

"And it came to pass that on a certain day a number of the opponents of that peerless Beauty, those that had strayed far from God's imperishable Sanctuary, scornfully spoke these words unto Muhammad: "Verily, God hath entered into a covenant with us that we are not to credit an apostle until he present us a sacrifice which fire out of heaven shall devour."  The purport of this verse is that God hath covenanted with them that they should not believe in any messenger unless he work the miracle of Abel and Cain, that is, offer a sacrifice, and the fire from heaven consume it; even as they had heard it recounted in the story of Abel, which story is recorded in the scriptures.  To this, Muhammad, answering, said: "Already have Apostles before me come to you with sure testimonies, and with that of which ye speak.  Wherefore slew ye them?  Tell me, if ye are men of truth."  And now, be fair; How could those people living in the days of Muhammad have existed, thousands of years before, in the age of Adam or other Prophets?  Why should Muhammad, that Essence of truthfulness, have charged the people of His day with the murder of Abel or other Prophets?  Thou hast none other alternative except to regard Muhammad as an impostor or a fool — which God forbid! — or to maintain that those people of wickedness were the self-same people who in every age opposed and caviled at the Prophets and Messengers of God, till they finally caused them all to suffer martyrdom."

(Bahá'u'lláh, Kitáb-i-Íqán, p. 148, par. 157)

Qur'ánic references

• 3:183 (not mentioned here by name; cited in above quotation; also potentially referred to in next quotation)

Abel's offering accepted as pious; Abel not to slay Cain in response to any attack but Cain to be punished; Cain slew Abel; a raven showing Cain how to hide his brother's shame inspired Cain to repent; one murder as the murder of all mankind

"Relate unto them also the history of the two sons of Adam, with truth. When they offered their offering, and it was accepted from one of them, and was not accepted from the other, Cain said to his brother, I will certainly kill thee. Abel answered, GOD only accepteth the offering of the pious;

"if thou stretchest forth thy hand against me, to slay me, I will not stretch forth my hand against thee, to slay thee; for I fear GOD, the LORD of all creatures.

"I choose that thou shouldest bear my iniquity and thine own iniquity; and that thou become a companion of hell fire; for that is the reward of the unjust.

"But his soul suffered him to slay his brother, and he slew him; wherefore he became of the number of those who perish."

"And GOD sent a raven, which scratched the earth, to show him how he should hide the shame of his brother, and he said, Woe is me! am I unable to be like this raven, that I may hide my brother's shame? and he became one of those who repent."

"Wherefore we commanded the children of Israel, that he who slayeth a soul, without having slain a soul, or committed wickedness in the earth, shall be as if he had slain all mankind: but he who saveth a soul alive, shall be as if he had saved the lives of all mankind.

"Our apostles formerly came unto them, with evident miracles; then were many of them after this, transgressors on the earth."

(Qur'án 5:30-35 (5:30-36 in Rodwell's translation)

Biblical references

• Genesis, Chapter 4