06/22/2025
After leaving his people who rejected his message and denied his message. Prophet Yunis chose to depart and continue on his way. It was his duty to accept Allah's decree, submit to His command, and not leave his town without Allah's permission. Allah illustrated this in the Quran, when the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was prohibited from being like the companion of the whale.
Yunus angrily left, he boarded a ship at sea. The ship encountered a storm, Yunus was repeatedly chosen by lots to be cast overboard, leading to his unharmed swallowing by a great whale, all in accordance with Allah's will.
While settled inside the whale, Yunus believed he had died until he felt his body moving. He thanked Allah, prostrated to Him, and said, "O Lord, I have made for You a mosque in a place where no one has worshipped You before." It was then that Yunus realized he was in three layers of darkness: the darkness of the night, the darkness of the depths of the sea, and the darkness of the whale's belly.
He felt the weight of his sin and acknowledged his mistake when he left his town without Allah's command. He began to pray, seek forgiveness, glorify Allah, and make supplications within the whale's belly. He could have remained in the belly of the whale until the Day of Judgment if not for his remembrance, seeking forgiveness, and supplication.
When Yunus prayed to Allah “There is no god but You! Glory to You! I was one of the wrongdoers!”.
His supplication reached the heavens. The angels recognized him and asked for mercy, and Allah commanded the whale to expel Yunus onto the shore.
Yunus emerged from the belly of the whale in a state of severe illness and fatigue. Allah caused a gourd vine to grow, providing him with nourishment and shade. Resting there, he gradually regained his strength.
Yunus was instructed by Allah to return to his people, who had embraced faith and eagerly awaited his return. Upon his arrival, he found them devoted to Allah, having abandoned idol worship, with over a hundred thousand believers.
