Prophet Jonah (Yunus) (pbuh) References

Prophet Jonah (860-784 B.C.) went to Iraq for the guidance of Assyrians, who have been called the people of Jonah for this reason. At that time, Nineveh, a very ancient and famous city, was their capital. Its vast remains are scattered on the left bank of the Tigris, opposite to the city of Mosul, and one of the mounds bears the name of 'Prophet Jonah'.

Prophet Jonah himself fixed the day of the torment, whereas Allah had not made any declaration in this regard. He presumed that he should leave the place which was going to be visited by the scourge of Allah. He emigrated from the city even before the day came; whereas a Prophet should not leave the place of his mission until Allah commands him to do so. Prophet Jonah left the place of his Mission without Divine permission after warning the people of the torment. Therefore Allah forgave the Assyrians, when they repented after seeing some Signs of the coming torment. After his departure when the people of the place saw the scourge approaching they believed, but this was only a kind of repentance which was accepted, and the scourge averted. This was in accordance with the Divine principles as stated in the Quran. For, according to one of these, Allah does not inflict any torment on any people, till He has the Message fully demonstrated to them. As the Prophet did not continue his admonition in accordance with the appointed term and left the place of his Mission of his own accord, Allah's justice did not inflict the chastisement because the legal argument against his people had not been fulfilled. He did not return to his people after the torment had been averted from him.

The vessel which the Prophet Jonah boarded was already overloaded. Lots were drawn in the vessel probably at a time when during the voyage it was felt that the lives of the passengers had been endangered due to the overloading; therefore, lots were cast to pick a person to be thrown overboard. The lot fell on the Prophet Jonah, and so he was thrown into the sea, and a fish swallowed him. When the Prophet Jonah confessed his fault, and began to glorify Allah like a true and sincere believer, the fish spat him out on the beach by Allah's Command. If he had not done so, the fish's belly would have become his grave till Resurrection. The beach was a bare plain, without any vegetation on it, or anything to provide him shade, or any means of food. A creeper (vine) was produced miraculously, so that its leaves should provide shade to the Prophet Jonah and its fruit should serve him both as food and as shade. Then God sent Prophet Jonah back to his people. A casual observer would have estimated the population to be more than a hundred thousand people in any case. Probably it was the same place which the Prophet Jonah had left and fled. Now, the Prophet Jonah was again sent to them so that the people should believe in him as a Prophet and become Muslims formally. They believed in him and lived till an appointed time.

References 10:96-98 21:87-88, 37:139-148

Yunus 10:96-98

The fact is that whatsoever Signs are shown to those who have fallen under Allah's decree,^EN10:97 they will not believe till they see the painful torment. The, is there any instance of a habitation that, seeing the torment, accepted the faith and that faith profited it? (there is no instance of this) except that of Jonah's people.^EN10:98 When they believed, We warded off the torment of ignominy from them in this worldly life^EN10:99 and allowed them to make use of the things of life for a while.^EN10:100

EN10:97 Allah's decree that had become applicable to them was this: Allah does not thrust the Faith on those who do not seek after the Truth: who obstinately and obdurately shut their hearts against it with prejudice: who are so lost in the love of this world that they do not care at all about the Hereafter.

EN10:98 Though Prophet Jonah (860-784 B.C.) was an Israeli Prophet, he went to Iraq for the guidance of Assyrians, who have been called the people of Jonah for this reason. At that time, Nineveh, a very ancient and famous city, was their capital. Its vast remains are scattered on the left bank of the Tigris, opposite to the city of Mosul, and one of the mounds bears the name of 'Prophet Jonah'. In order to form as estimate of these people, suffice it to say that the circumference of their capital Nineveh was 60 miles or so.

EN10:99 As regards the question why the threatened torment was warded off from the people of Jonah an exception to the Divine principle, "After the decision of the torment, the profession of faith by any community does not benefit it,"

Prophet Jonah left the place of his Mission without Divine permission after warning the people of the torment. Therefore Allah forgave the Assyrians, when they repented after seeing some Signs of the coming torment. This was in accordance with the Divine principles as stated in the Quran. For, according to one of these, Allah does not inflict any torment on any people, till He has the Message fully demonstrated to them. As the Prophet did not continue his admonition in accordance with the appointed term and left the place of his Mission of his own accord, Allah's justice did not inflict the chastisement because the legal argument against his people had not been fulfilled.

EN10:100 When the Assyrians believed in the Message, they were given a new lease of life. But after some time, they adopted the wrong ways of thought and deed. Prophet Nahum (720-698 B.C.) warned and admonished them but without any effect. Then Prophet Zephaniah (640-609 B.C.) gave them the last warning that "he … will destroy Assyria and will make Nineveh a desolation," but it also proved in pain. At last in 612 B.C., Allah made the Medes dominant over them.

The Median king, with the help of the Babylonians, invaded Assyria, and their army was defeated and was besieged within the walls of Nineveh. They put up a stiff resistance for sometime but then floods in the Tigris swept away the city wall and the invaders swarmed into the city and burnt it to ashes along with the surrounding countryside. The Assyrian king set fire to his palace and was himself burnt to death. Thus the Assyrian Empire and its culture came to an end for ever.

Al-Anbiya 21:87-88

And We showed a favor to Zun-nun:^EN21:82 Remember when he went away in anger^EN21:83 for he thought We would not take him to task for this.^EN21:84 But afterwards he invoked Us from the depths of the darkness,^EN21:85 saying, "There is no God but Thou: glory be to Thee: I had indeed committed a wrong". 21:87

EN21:82 That is, Jonah. Literally Zun-Nun means "the man of the fish". He was called so because he was devoured by a fish by the Command of Allah (37:142, 10:98)

EN21:83 Prophet Jonah left his people before he received Allah's Command for migration.

EN21:84 He presumed that he should leave the place which was going to be visited by the scourge of Allah. This was not by itself an offence but it was an offence for a Prophet to leave the place of his Mission without the permission of Allah.

EN21:85 "…darkness": the darkness in the belly of the fish and the darkness of the sea over and above it.

So We heard his prayer, and delivered him from the affliction: Thus We deliver the believers. 21:88

As-Saaffat 37:139-148

And indeed Jonah also was one of the Messengers.^EN37:77 37:139

EN37:77 This is third place where the Prophet Jonah (pbuh) has been mentioned in the Quran. Before this he has already been mentioned in Surah Yunus 10:98 and Al-Anbiya 21:87-88.

Remember when he fled to the laden vessel;^EN37:78 37:140

EN37:78 The word abaqa in the Arabic is used for the flight and escape of a slave from his master's house.

Then he took part in the casting of lots and lost. 37:141

At last, the fish swallowed him, for he was blameworthy.^EN37:79 37:142

EN37:79 This is one understands from the study of these sentences:

(1) The vessel which the Prophet Jonah boarded was already overloaded.

(2) Lots were drawn in the vessel probably at a time when during the voyage it was felt that the lives of the passengers had been endangered due to the overloading; therefore, lots were cast to pick a person to be thrown overboard.

(3) The lot fell on the Prophet Jonah, and so he was thrown into the sea, and a fish swallowed him.

(4) The Prophet Jonah was so afflicted because he had fled and abandoned the place of his mission without the permission of his Master (Allah Almighty).

Had he not been of those who glorify^EN37:80(Us), 37:143

EN37:80 It has two meanings and both are implied:

(1) That the Prophet Jonah was not of the people who are heedless of God, but was of those who glorify and adore Allah constantly and perpetually; and

(2) That when he went inside the fish, he turned to Allah alone and glorified Him.

He would he remained in the fish's belly till the Day of Resurrection.^EN37:81 37:144

EN37:81 This does not mean that the fish would have lived till Resurrection and the Prophet Jonah would have remained alive in its belly till then, but that the fish's belly would have become his grave till Resurrection.

At last We cast him on a bare shore in a state of sickness,^EN37:82 37:145

EN37:82 That is, "When the Prophet Jonah confessed his fault, and began to glorify Allah like a true and sincere believer, the fish spat him out on the beach by Allah's Command. The beach was a bare plain, without any vegetation on it, or anything to provide him shade, or any means of food.

and caused a creeper^EN37:83to grow over him. 37:146

EN37:83 The Arabic word yaqtin applies to a tree which does not stand on a stem but grows and stems like a creeper, e.g. a pumpkin, cucumber, water melon, etc. In any case, a creeper was produced miraculously, so that its leaves should provide shade to the Prophet Jonah and its fruit should serve him both as food and as shade.

Then We sent him to a hundred thousand people, or more:^EN37:84 37:147

EN37:84 The mention of "a hundred thousand people or more" does not mean that Allah had any doubt about their number, but it means that a casual observer would have estimated the population to be more than a hundred thousand people in any case. Probably it was the same place which the Prophet Jonah had left and fled. After his departure when the people of the place saw the scourge approaching they believed, but this was only a kind of repentance which was accepted, and the scourge averted. Now, the Prophet Jonah was again sent to them so that the people should believe in him as a Prophet and become Muslims formally.

They believed in him and We let them live till an appointed time.^EN37:85 37:148

EN37:85 There were three offences on account of which the Prophet Jonah was made to suffer Allah's displeasure:

(1) That he himself fixed the day of the torment, whereas Allah had not made any declaration in this regard;

(2) That he emigrated from the city even before the day came; whereas a Prophet should not leave the place of his mission until Allah commands him to do so; and

(3) That he did not return to his people after the torment had been averted from them.