As for the People of Reality: The two crows are Gabriel and Michael—who are Salman and al-Miqdad. The first, the killer, is the Sin, and the killed is the Qaf. The inward meaning of the killing is its recognition and realization through greatness of station. The meaning of the burial is Taqiyya and its establishment, ensuring that the secret of God—the Mighty and Sublime—is not broadcast or taught to those who are not its people. The meaning of overturning the stones: it signifies that the opposer shall end up therein, which is the fifth degree of firmly rooted punishment. The meaning of taking water in the beak and sprinkling it on the grave: its inward sense is that from water comes the life of everything, and it is Knowledge. The evidence supporting what I have explained is the narration of God, the Sublime and Exalted: {Then God sent a crow searching in the ground to show him how to hide the corpse of his brother. He said, "O woe to me! Have I failed to be like this crow and hide the corpse of my brother?" So he became of the regretful.}1 Thus Cain did to his brother as the crow did, according to what we have explained.
It is related: Adam—exalted be his glory—missed Abel—exalted be his glory—when he was absent, searching for him without finding him or knowing any news of him. He asked Cain about him, who claimed he did not know his state. Adam continued to be gentle with Cain until he confessed what he had done to his brother, saying to him: "Show me the place of his grave." He took him to the grave, and when Adam saw it, he wept for Abel and wailed, saying:
The lands and those upon them have changed, The face of the earth is dusty and foul.
Everything of taste and color has altered, The brightness of the handsome face has diminished.
And the killing of Abel by his brother Cain— O, my grief for that radiant countenance!
O Abel, do not be killed, for I Am today grieved and wounded over you.