JONAH Arabic Yunus يونس
Mentioned in the Qur’an as a prophet, and as Sahibu ‘l-Hut and Zu ‘n-Nun, “he of the Fish.”
Surah xxxvii. 139-148: “Jonas, too, was one of the Apostles (mursalin), when he fled unto the laden ship, and lots were case, and he as doomed, and the fish swallowed him, for he was blameworthy. But had he not been of those who praise Us, in its belly had he surely remained, till the day of resurrection. And we cast him on the bare shore – and he was sick; – and we caused a gourd-plant to grow up over him, and we sent him to a hundred thousand persons, or even more, and because they believed, we continued their enjoyments for a season.”
Surah lxviii. 49050: “Patiently then await the judgement of thy Lord, and be not like him who was in the fish (Sahibu ‘l-Hut), when in deep distress he cried to God. Had not favor from his Lord reached him, cast forth would he have been on the naked shore, overwhelmed with shame: but his Lord chose him and made him of the just.”
Surah x. 98 (called the Suratu Yunus), “Verily they against whom the decree of thy Lord is pronounced, shall not believe, even though every kind of sign come unto them till they behold the dolorous torment! Were it otherwise, any city, had it believed, might have found its safety in it faith. But it was so, only with the people of Jonas. When they believed, we delivered them from the penalty of shame in this world, and provided for them for a time. But if thy Lord had pleased, verily all who are in the earth would have believed together. What! Wilt thou compel men to become believers?”
Surah vi 86: “We guided…. Ishmael and Elisha, and Jonah, and Lot.”
Surah xxi. 87: “And Zu ‘n-Nun (he of the fish), when he went on his way in anger, and thought that we had no power over him. But in the darkness he cried, “There is no God but Thou: Glory be unto Thee! Verily, I have been one of the evil doers’; so we heard him and rescued him from misery; for thus rescue we the faithful.”
[Sale, i his Note on the Qur’an, quoting from al-Jalalan and al-Baizawi, say: “When Jonah first began to exhort the people to repentance, instead of hearkening to him, they used him very ill, so that he was obliged to leave the city, threatening them at his departure that they should be destroyed within three days, or , as others say, within forty. But when the time drew near, and they saw the heavens overcast with a black cloud which shot forth fire and filled the air with smoke and hung directly over the city, they were in a terrible consternation, and getting into the field, with their families and cattle, they put on sackcloth and humbled themselves before God, calling aloud for pardon and sincerely repenting of their past wickedness. Whereupon God was pleased to forgive them, and they storm blew over. It is said that the fish, after it had swallowed Jonah, swam after the ship with its head above water, that the prophet might breathe, who continued to praise God till the fish came to land and vomited him out. Some imagine Jonah’s plant to have been a fig; and others, the moz (or banana), which bears very large leaves and excellent fruit, and that this plant withered the next morning, and that Jonah being much concerned at it God made a remonstrance to him in behalf of the Ninevites, agreeably to what is recorded in Scripture.”]
Mentioned in the Qur’an as a prophet, and as Sahibu ‘l-Hut and Zu ‘n-Nun, “he of the Fish.”
Surah xxxvii. 139-148: “Jonas, too, was one of the Apostles (mursalin), when he fled unto the laden ship, and lots were case, and he as doomed, and the fish swallowed him, for he was blameworthy. But had he not been of those who praise Us, in its belly had he surely remained, till the day of resurrection. And we cast him on the bare shore – and he was sick; – and we caused a gourd-plant to grow up over him, and we sent him to a hundred thousand persons, or even more, and because they believed, we continued their enjoyments for a season.”
Surah lxviii. 49050: “Patiently then await the judgement of thy Lord, and be not like him who was in the fish (Sahibu ‘l-Hut), when in deep distress he cried to God. Had not favor from his Lord reached him, cast forth would he have been on the naked shore, overwhelmed with shame: but his Lord chose him and made him of the just.”
Surah x. 98 (called the Suratu Yunus), “Verily they against whom the decree of thy Lord is pronounced, shall not believe, even though every kind of sign come unto them till they behold the dolorous torment! Were it otherwise, any city, had it believed, might have found its safety in it faith. But it was so, only with the people of Jonas. When they believed, we delivered them from the penalty of shame in this world, and provided for them for a time. But if thy Lord had pleased, verily all who are in the earth would have believed together. What! Wilt thou compel men to become believers?”
Surah vi 86: “We guided…. Ishmael and Elisha, and Jonah, and Lot.”
Surah xxi. 87: “And Zu ‘n-Nun (he of the fish), when he went on his way in anger, and thought that we had no power over him. But in the darkness he cried, “There is no God but Thou: Glory be unto Thee! Verily, I have been one of the evil doers’; so we heard him and rescued him from misery; for thus rescue we the faithful.”
[Sale, i his Note on the Qur’an, quoting from al-Jalalan and al-Baizawi, say: “When Jonah first began to exhort the people to repentance, instead of hearkening to him, they used him very ill, so that he was obliged to leave the city, threatening them at his departure that they should be destroyed within three days, or , as others say, within forty. But when the time drew near, and they saw the heavens overcast with a black cloud which shot forth fire and filled the air with smoke and hung directly over the city, they were in a terrible consternation, and getting into the field, with their families and cattle, they put on sackcloth and humbled themselves before God, calling aloud for pardon and sincerely repenting of their past wickedness. Whereupon God was pleased to forgive them, and they storm blew over. It is said that the fish, after it had swallowed Jonah, swam after the ship with its head above water, that the prophet might breathe, who continued to praise God till the fish came to land and vomited him out. Some imagine Jonah’s plant to have been a fig; and others, the moz (or banana), which bears very large leaves and excellent fruit, and that this plant withered the next morning, and that Jonah being much concerned at it God made a remonstrance to him in behalf of the Ninevites, agreeably to what is recorded in Scripture.”]
Based on Hughes, Dictionary of Islam
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