Quran mentions the incident of the sacrifice of two blessed sons of Sayyiduna Aadam عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلَام.

Sayyiduna Aadam عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلَام wished to marry Sayyiduna Haabeel رَضِىَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ with Aqleema. But Qaabeel showed his discontent over the decision and expressed his desire to marry her.

Sayyiduna Aadam عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلَام tried to explain Qaabeel that she was his sister and he (Qaabeel) cannot marry her, but Qaabeel showed stubborn attitude over this issue. Finally, Sayyiduna Aadam عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلَام ordered them to offer their sacrifices to Allah عَـزَّوَجَـلَّ and told them that the one whose sacrifice will be accepted will deserve to get Aqleema.

In those days, the sign of the acceptance of sacrifice was that a fire from the sky would come down and engulf the sacrifice. Therefore, Qaabeel offered some wheat spikes and Haabeel offered a goat for sacrifice. The fire from the sky engulfed the sacrifice of Haabeel and left wheat spikes of Qaabeel. Since he was full of grudge and jealousy and he intended to murder Haabeel. He threatened Haabeel that he will kill him! Haabeel said to Qaabeel that acceptance of sacrifice is from Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ and He accepts the sacrifice of only pious and sincere people. If you had been pious, then your sacrifice must have been accepted.

Dear Islamic brothers! The sacrifice of Qaabeel was not for the pleasure of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ but his aim and mission was to get ‘Aqleema’ and when he failed to get her, he flew into rage and killed Sayyiduna Haabeel رَضِىَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ. Through this incident we learnt that sincerity and piety are the pre-requisite elements for the acceptance of the blessed act of sacrifice in the court of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ. But it is our miserable state that in the very first place, Nafs and Satan do not let us perform good deeds and if we succeed to perform any good deed anyhow then Satan exerts his fullest energy and force to waste our act of worship or makes us to commit any such mistake in the worship which leaves our act of worship invalid and waste our this deed by making us to commit the evil of showing off.