Prophet Yunus (peace be upon him), known as Jonah in the Bible, was one of the noble prophets of Allah. His story is a powerful reminder of repentance (Tawbah), patience (Sabr), and Allah’s infinite mercy.
Prophet Yunus (A.S.) was sent by Allah to the people of Nineveh, a large city located in present-day Iraq. The people of Nineveh were steeped in sin, idol worship, and disobedience to Allah. Yunus (A.S.) was chosen to guide them toward monotheism and righteousness.
He called his people to worship Allah alone, to leave their sinful ways, and to live justly. But his people mocked him, rejected his message, and continued in their disobedience.
After years of preaching with no success, Prophet Yunus (A.S.) became frustrated and angry. He warned the people of Allah’s punishment but when they still refused to listen, he left the city in anger, assuming they would soon be destroyed.
However, Yunus (A.S.) left without receiving Allah’s command to do so, which was not allowed for a prophet.
Yunus (A.S.) boarded a ship to sail far away. During the journey, a severe storm struck. The crew believed that someone on board had brought bad luck, and lots were drawn to determine who should be thrown off the ship to save the rest.
The lot fell on Yunus (A.S.). He understood this was Allah’s will, and he jumped into the sea, where he was swallowed by a huge fish or whale, by Allah’s command.
Inside the belly of the whale, Prophet Yunus (A.S.) was in complete darkness — the darkness of the sea, the darkness of the whale’s belly, and the darkness of night. Realizing his mistake, he turned to Allah in sincere repentance, reciting the famous supplication:
لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا أَنتَ سُبْحَانَكَ إِنِّي كُنتُ مِنَ الظَّالِمِينَ
“There is no god but You. Glory be to You! Indeed, I have been of the wrongdoers.”
— (Surah Al-Anbiya 21:87)
Because of his sincere repentance, Allah forgave him.
Allah commanded the whale to release Prophet Yunus (A.S.). The whale swam to the shore and spat him out. He was weak and ill, but Allah made a gourd plant grow nearby to give him shade and nourishment. Slowly, he regained his strength.
When he returned to Nineveh, Prophet Yunus (A.S.) found a miracle—his people had repented! After seeing the signs of Allah’s punishment, the people had turned to Allah, and He had forgiven them.
Prophet Yunus (A.S.) now had the joy of guiding an entire nation that had finally accepted the truth. It is one of the rare cases where an entire nation believed after initially rejecting a prophet.
- Yunus (A.S.) is one of the most mentioned prophets in the Qur’an, and an entire chapter is named after him: Surah Yunus.
- His story teaches us that:
- Never give up hope in Allah’s mercy.
- Repentance brings relief even from the darkest places.
- Patience and trust in Allah are essential, especially in hardship.
- Allah is Most Forgiving, even when we make mistakes.
Yunus (A.S.) is mentioned in:
- Surah Al-Anbiya (21:87–88)
- Surah As-Saffat (37:139–148)
- Surah Yunus
- Surah Al-Qalam (68:48–50)
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