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Prophet 21 of 25

The Story of Prophet Yunus

Swallowed by the fish, he called out from the darkness, and his whole city believed.

Yunus, also called Dhun-Nun, the companion of the fish, left his people in anger and was swallowed by a great fish. His call from within its darkness is one of the most repeated supplications of the Quran.

وَإِنَّ يُونُسَ لَمِنَ ٱلْمُرْسَلِينَ

Surah As-Saffat 37:139
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Chapter 1 of 4

The loaded ship

Story narration · written from the Quranic account, not Quran

Yunus fled to the laden ship, drew lots and was among the losers. The fish swallowed him while he was blameworthy. Surah Al-Anbiya says he went off in anger, thinking Allah would not decree hardship upon him.

Quran · recitation and translation
Surah As-Saffat 37:139–142

وَإِنَّ يُونُسَ لَمِنَ ٱلْمُرْسَلِينَ ﴿139﴾ إِذْ أَبَقَ إِلَى ٱلْفُلْكِ ٱلْمَشْحُونِ ﴿140﴾ فَسَاهَمَ فَكَانَ مِنَ ٱلْمُدْحَضِينَ ﴿141﴾ فَٱلْتَقَمَهُ ٱلْحُوتُ وَهُوَ مُلِيمٌۭ ﴿142﴾

(139) And indeed, Jonah was among the messengers. (140) [Mention] when he ran away to the laden ship. (141) And he drew lots and was among the losers. (142) Then the fish swallowed him, while he was blameworthy.

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Surah Al-Anbiya 21:87

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

And [mention] the man of the fish, when he went off in anger and thought that We would not decree [anything] upon him. And he called out within the darknesses, "There is no deity except You; exalted are You. Indeed, I have been of the wrongdoers."

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Chapter 2 of 4

The call from the darkness

Story narration · written from the Quranic account, not Quran

From within the darkness he called: there is no deity except You; exalted are You; indeed I have been of the wrongdoers. Allah responded and saved him from distress, and the Quran says: thus do We save the believers. Had he not been of those who glorify Allah, he would have remained in the belly of the fish until the Day of Resurrection.

Quran · recitation and translation
Surah Al-Anbiya 21:87–88

وَذَا ٱلنُّونِ إِذ ذَّهَبَ مُغَٰضِبًۭا فَظَنَّ أَن لَّن نَّقْدِرَ عَلَيْهِ فَنَادَىٰ فِى ٱلظُّلُمَٰتِ أَن لَّآ إِلَٰهَ إِلَّآ أَنتَ سُبْحَٰنَكَ إِنِّى كُنتُ مِنَ ٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ ﴿87﴾ فَٱسْتَجَبْنَا لَهُۥ وَنَجَّيْنَٰهُ مِنَ ٱلْغَمِّ ۚ وَكَذَٰلِكَ نُۨجِى ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ ﴿88﴾

(87) And [mention] the man of the fish, when he went off in anger and thought that We would not decree [anything] upon him. And he called out within the darknesses, "There is no deity except You; exalted are You. Indeed, I have been of the wrongdoers." (88) So We responded to him and saved him from the distress. And thus do We save the believers.

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Surah As-Saffat 37:143–144

فَلَوْلَآ أَنَّهُۥ كَانَ مِنَ ٱلْمُسَبِّحِينَ ﴿143﴾ لَلَبِثَ فِى بَطْنِهِۦٓ إِلَىٰ يَوْمِ يُبْعَثُونَ ﴿144﴾

(143) And had he not been of those who exalt Allah, (144) He would have remained inside its belly until the Day they are resurrected.

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Chapter 3 of 4

The gourd plant and the city

Story narration · written from the Quranic account, not Quran

He was cast onto the open shore while ill, and Allah caused a gourd plant to grow over him. He was sent to a hundred thousand or more, and they believed, so Allah let them enjoy life for a time. Surah Yunus says his people were the one city whose faith benefited them when they believed, and the punishment was lifted from them.

Quran · recitation and translation
Surah As-Saffat 37:145–148

۞ فَنَبَذْنَٰهُ بِٱلْعَرَآءِ وَهُوَ سَقِيمٌۭ ﴿145﴾ وَأَنۢبَتْنَا عَلَيْهِ شَجَرَةًۭ مِّن يَقْطِينٍۢ ﴿146﴾ وَأَرْسَلْنَٰهُ إِلَىٰ مِا۟ئَةِ أَلْفٍ أَوْ يَزِيدُونَ ﴿147﴾ فَـَٔامَنُوا۟ فَمَتَّعْنَٰهُمْ إِلَىٰ حِينٍۢ ﴿148﴾

(145) But We threw him onto the open shore while he was ill. (146) And We caused to grow over him a gourd vine. (147) And We sent him to [his people of] a hundred thousand or more. (148) And they believed, so We gave them enjoyment [of life] for a time.

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Surah Yunus 10:98

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

Then has there not been a [single] city that believed so its faith benefited it except the people of Jonah? When they believed, We removed from them the punishment of disgrace in worldly life and gave them enjoyment for a time.

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Chapter 4 of 4

Be patient, and do not be like him

Story narration · written from the Quranic account, not Quran

The Quran tells the Prophet ﷺ to be patient for his Lord's decision and not to be like the companion of the fish, who called out while he was distressed; had a favour from his Lord not reached him, he would have been cast onto the barren shore while blamed. But his Lord chose him and made him of the righteous.

Quran · recitation and translation
Surah Al-Qalam 68:48–50

فَٱصْبِرْ لِحُكْمِ رَبِّكَ وَلَا تَكُن كَصَاحِبِ ٱلْحُوتِ إِذْ نَادَىٰ وَهُوَ مَكْظُومٌۭ ﴿48﴾ لَّوْلَآ أَن تَدَٰرَكَهُۥ نِعْمَةٌۭ مِّن رَّبِّهِۦ لَنُبِذَ بِٱلْعَرَآءِ وَهُوَ مَذْمُومٌۭ ﴿49﴾ فَٱجْتَبَٰهُ رَبُّهُۥ فَجَعَلَهُۥ مِنَ ٱلصَّٰلِحِينَ ﴿50﴾

(48) Then be patient for the decision of your Lord, [O Muhammad], and be not like the companion of the fish when he called out while he was distressed. (49) If not that a favor from his Lord overtook him, he would have been thrown onto the naked shore while he was censured. (50) And his Lord chose him and made him of the righteous.

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Sources note. The Quran does not name Yunus's city; the identification with Nineveh comes from later sources.
Where is this story mentioned?

Passages about Yunus in the Quran

Opening passage, rendered from the stored text:

  1. Surah As-Saffat37:139

    وَإِنَّ يُونُسَ لَمِنَ ٱلْمُرْسَلِينَ

    And indeed, Jonah was among the messengers.

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The story of Yunus

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