Prophet Yunus
يونسعليه السلام
Known as Dhun-Nun (the companion of the whale). Left his people in frustration, was swallowed by a whale, and was saved after his sincere repentance.
Leaving His People
Yunus was sent to the people of Nineveh (in modern-day Iraq), a city of over 100,000 people. When they rejected his message, Yunus left them in frustration and anger before receiving Allah's permission to do so. He boarded a ship, which was caught in a terrible storm.
وَإِنَّ يُونُسَ لَمِنَ الْمُرْسَلِينَ * إِذْ أَبَقَ إِلَى الْفُلْكِ الْمَشْحُونِ
“And indeed, Yunus was among the messengers. When he ran away to the laden ship.”
Swallowed by the Whale
When the passengers drew lots to lighten the ship's load, Yunus was chosen. He was cast into the sea and swallowed by a great whale. In the darkness of the whale's belly, at the bottom of the sea, at night — three layers of darkness — Yunus called out to Allah with one of the most powerful supplications in the Quran.
فَنَادَىٰ فِي الظُّلُمَاتِ أَن لَّا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا أَنتَ سُبْحَانَكَ إِنِّي كُنتُ مِنَ الظَّالِمِينَ
“And he called out within the darknesses, 'There is no deity except You; exalted are You. Indeed, I have been of the wrongdoers.'”
Salvation and the Repentance of Nineveh
Allah accepted Yunus's repentance and commanded the whale to cast him ashore. He was weak and ill, and Allah grew a gourd plant to shade and nourish him. Meanwhile, the people of Nineveh — uniquely in Quranic history — collectively repented and believed before the punishment came. Allah spared them.
فَلَوْلَا كَانَتْ قَرْيَةٌ آمَنَتْ فَنَفَعَهَا إِيمَانُهَا إِلَّا قَوْمَ يُونُسَ لَمَّا آمَنُوا كَشَفْنَا عَنْهُمْ عَذَابَ الْخِزْيِ فِي الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا
“Then has there not been a [single] city that believed so its faith benefited it except the people of Yunus? When they believed, We removed from them the punishment of disgrace in worldly life.”
The Prophet ﷺ said: 'The supplication of Dhun-Nun (Yunus) when he was in the belly of the whale: La ilaha illa anta, subhanaka, inni kuntu min az-zalimin. No Muslim ever prays to his Lord with these words for anything, but He will answer him.'
Source: Tirmidhi 48:136 (graded Sahih)
Key Lessons
- ◆A prophet must persevere and not abandon his mission without Allah's permission
- ◆Sincere repentance is accepted by Allah, no matter the circumstances
- ◆The du'a of Yunus is one of the most powerful supplications — effective for any difficulty
- ◆An entire community can be saved through collective repentance
References & Sources
- Quran: Surah Yunus (10:98), Al-Anbiya (21:87-88), As-Saffat (37:139-148), Al-Qalam (68:48-50)
- Tirmidhi 48:136
- Ibn Kathir, Qasas al-Anbiya