The First Murder and Communal Responsibility
📖Sahih al-Bukhari 3335
Narrated `Abdullah: Allah’s Messenger ﷺ said, “Whenever a person is murdered unjustly, there is a share from the burden of the crime on the first son of Adam, for he was the first to start the tradition of murdering.”
This hadith means: the first son of Adam, Qabil (Cain), introduced the sin of murder to humanity. So, whenever someone commits an unjust killing, a portion of the blame also returns to Qabil, not because he caused others to kill, but because he introduced a path of sin that others later followed willingly.
🔸 Quran 6:164
“…No bearer of burdens will bear the burden of another…”
✔ So how is it fair?
Qabil doesn’t bear the full sin of others, he carries a share only because he opened the door to that evil act. Just like someone who introduces an evil trend or influence in society. If someone starts a sin and others follow, he gets a share because of what he introduced, not because he directly made them do it.
🌸 About Eve: Was she responsible?
There’s a narration:
📖Sahih al-Bukhari 3399
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“Were it not for Bani Israel, meat would not decay, and were it not for Hawwa (Eve), no woman would ever betray her husband.”
This hadith refers to the first disobedience by Eve not all women. It’s not accusing all women, nor is it a rule that women are betrayers. The Prophet ﷺ was pointing to the first mistake, not saying every woman is like this.
Eve’s Mistake = Not a Lifetime Curse
📖Quran 2:37
“Then Adam received words from his Lord, and He accepted his repentance. Indeed, it is He who is the Accepting of repentance, the Merciful.”
Yes, Adam is mentioned specifically here. But:
📖Quran 7:23
“They said, ‘Our Lord, we have wronged ourselves. If You do not forgive us and have mercy upon us, we will surely be among the losers.’”
✅ “They said” = Both Adam and Eve asked for forgiveness
✅ Islam never says Eve was cursed.
✅ Both were forgiven.
Why Adam’s Name?
Because:
- Adam was the Prophet.
- As a husband and wife, they are one soul, a team.
- Adam receiving the words (📖2:37) shows he led the repentance, but both were involved.
So Allah forgave both, Adam is mentioned because he was the leader in this case.
Now, About Eve’s Role in Detail:
Yes, she was forgiven. But at the moment of disobedience, her behavior was like someone not properly submitting to Allah. Allah had commanded both not to eat from the tree. Eve knew the command, yet when Adam ate, she did not stop him — instead, she also ate.
➡️ This is similar to a wife today:
- If her husband is watching adult content, and she knows it’s haram, but she says nothing or joins him, she shares in the sin.
- If the husband is murdering, drinking alcohol, or having a haram relationship, and the wife knows it’s haram but remains silent or joins in, she is guilty too.
So in the same way:
- Eve had the responsibility to remind Adam of Allah’s command.
- But she joined him in the disobedience.
- So her action was like betraying the trust and not fulfilling her duty to Allah or her husband.
But still, Allah forgave both, because they repented together.
📖Quran 7:23
“They said, ‘Our Lord, we have wronged ourselves…’”
And:
📖Quran 2:37
“Then Adam received words from his Lord, and He accepted his repentance…”
✔ As husband and wife, one soul.
✔ As believers, they both asked and were both forgiven.
✔ But the lesson remains: don’t assist or stay silent in the face of sin, even if it’s your closest loved one.
Final Lesson:
Yes, she was forgiven. But at the moment of disobedience, her behavior was like someone not properly submitting to Allah. Allah had commanded both not to eat from the tree. Eve knew the command, yet when Adam ate, she did not stop him, instead, she also ate.
➡️ This is similar to a wife today:
If her husband is watching adult content, and she knows it’s haram, but she says nothing or joins him, she shares in the sin, If the husband is murdering, drinking alcohol, or having a haram relationship, and the wife knows it’s haram but remains silent or joins in, she is guilty too.
So in the same way:
- Eve had the responsibility to remind Adam of Allah’s command.
- But she joined him in the disobedience.
- So her action was like betraying the trust and not fulfilling her duty to Allah or her husband.
- But still, Allah forgave both, because they repented together.
So this is the same cause:
If any woman knows her husband is doing wrong, she must not join him. Rather, she should obey Allah.
If her husband is drinking, and she also drinks, or remains silent, that’s what’s called betrayal.