Prophet Yunus

21 / 25 يونس Jonah 13 verses

Yunus is called “the man of the fish” in the Quran.

1

The ship and the fish

Yunus flees to a laden ship. They cast lots and he is among those who lose, and the fish swallows him while he is blameworthy. Had he not been among those who glorify Allah, he would have stayed in its belly until the Day they are resurrected. He is cast on a barren shore, ill, and a gourd vine grows over him.

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وَإِنَّ يُونُسَ لَمِنَ ٱلْمُرْسَلِينَ ﴿١٣٩﴾

And lo! Jonah verily was of those sent (to warn)

إِذْ أَبَقَ إِلَى ٱلْفُلْكِ ٱلْمَشْحُونِ ﴿١٤٠﴾

When he fled unto the laden ship,

فَسَاهَمَ فَكَانَ مِنَ ٱلْمُدْحَضِينَ ﴿١٤١﴾

And then drew lots and was of those rejected;

فَٱلْتَقَمَهُ ٱلْحُوتُ وَهُوَ مُلِيمٌۭ ﴿١٤٢﴾

And the fish swallowed him while he was blameworthy;

فَلَوْلَآ أَنَّهُۥ كَانَ مِنَ ٱلْمُسَبِّحِينَ ﴿١٤٣﴾

And had he not been one of those who glorify (Allah)

لَلَبِثَ فِى بَطْنِهِۦٓ إِلَىٰ يَوْمِ يُبْعَثُونَ ﴿١٤٤﴾

He would have tarried in its belly till the day when they are raised;

۞ فَنَبَذْنَٰهُ بِٱلْعَرَآءِ وَهُوَ سَقِيمٌۭ ﴿١٤٥﴾

Then We cast him on a desert shore while he was sick;

وَأَنۢبَتْنَا عَلَيْهِ شَجَرَةًۭ مِّن يَقْطِينٍۢ ﴿١٤٦﴾

And We caused a tree of gourd to grow above him;

وَأَرْسَلْنَٰهُ إِلَىٰ مِا۟ئَةِ أَلْفٍ أَوْ يَزِيدُونَ ﴿١٤٧﴾

And We sent him to a hundred thousand (folk) or more

فَـَٔامَنُوا۟ فَمَتَّعْنَٰهُمْ إِلَىٰ حِينٍۢ ﴿١٤٨﴾

And they believed, therefor We gave them comfort for a while.

2

The prayer in the darkness

He goes off in anger, thinking that Allah would not decree anything against him, and calls out in the darknesses: “There is no deity except You; exalted are You. Indeed, I have been of the wrongdoers.” Allah answers him and saves him from the distress, as He saves the believers.

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وَذَا ٱلنُّونِ إِذ ذَّهَبَ مُغَٰضِبًۭا فَظَنَّ أَن لَّن نَّقْدِرَ عَلَيْهِ فَنَادَىٰ فِى ٱلظُّلُمَٰتِ أَن لَّآ إِلَٰهَ إِلَّآ أَنتَ سُبْحَٰنَكَ إِنِّى كُنتُ مِنَ ٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ ﴿٨٧﴾

And (mention) Dhu'n-Nun, when he went off in anger and deemed that We had no power over him, but he cried out in the darkness, saying: There is no Allah save Thee. Be Thou Glorified! Lo! I have been a wrong-doer.

فَٱسْتَجَبْنَا لَهُۥ وَنَجَّيْنَٰهُ مِنَ ٱلْغَمِّ ۚ وَكَذَٰلِكَ نُۨجِى ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ ﴿٨٨﴾

Then we heard his prayer and saved him from the anguish. Thus we save believers.

3

A people who believed

Of all the cities, none believed so that its faith benefited it, except the people of Yunus. Allah removed from them the punishment of disgrace in worldly life and let them enjoy life for a time.

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فَلَوْلَا كَانَتْ قَرْيَةٌ ءَامَنَتْ فَنَفَعَهَآ إِيمَٰنُهَآ إِلَّا قَوْمَ يُونُسَ لَمَّآ ءَامَنُوا۟ كَشَفْنَا عَنْهُمْ عَذَابَ ٱلْخِزْىِ فِى ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنْيَا وَمَتَّعْنَٰهُمْ إِلَىٰ حِينٍۢ ﴿٩٨﴾

If only there had been a community (of all those that were destroyed of old) that believed and profited by its belief as did the folk of Jonah! When they believed We drew off from them the torment of disgrace in the life of the world and gave them comfort for a while.

This story is taken from the Quran only. Details from other books are not added.

Arabic text: Uthmani script. Translation: Marmaduke Pickthall.

Questions about the prophets

Who was Prophet Yunus?

Yunus is called “the man of the fish” in the Quran.

Where is the story of Yunus in the Quran?

It is in As-Saffat 37:139–148, Al-Anbiya 21:87–88, Yunus 10:98. This page shows these verses in Arabic and in your language.