Jonah
Yûnus
یُونس
Surah Yûnus for kids content
LEARNING POINTS
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The Makkans are criticized for rejecting the Quran and challenging the Prophet.
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The idol-worshippers are asked to learn a lesson from the destruction of the people of Pharaoh and the people of Nuh.
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Allah accepted the repentance of the people of Yunus when they repented before the punishment came.
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This life is very short.
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The mighty Creator of the heavens and the earth can easily bring people back to life for judgment.
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People cry to Allah for help when they go through a disaster, but they quickly forget about Him when things get better for them.
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The Prophet is asked to have patience and to put his trust in Allah.
SIDE STORY
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Joha lost his keys and was looking for them under a street lamp. People saw him looking for his keys and came to help.
After searching for a long time, they got tired and asked him, "Do you remember the last time you saw those keys?" Joha replied, "In my bedroom." People got very angry and said to him, "Then why are you looking for them here?" He argued, "I prefer this spot because it has much more light!"
BACKGROUND STORY
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Joha's argument reminds me of the idol-worshippers' attitude towards the Prophet . Even though Allah did what was best for them by sending them one of their own as their messenger, they argued that Allah should have sent them an angel instead.
So Ailah revealed verse 2 in response to this claim. {Imam Al-Qurțubi}
WORDS OF WISDOM
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Someone may ask, "Why didn't Allah just send them an angel to be their messenger?" This is a good question. Consider the following points:
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1. It would be impossible for people to see and interact with an angel in his real form, so he would have to come in the form of a human being. If this happened, the deniers wouldn't believe he was an angel, as Allah says in 6:8-9.
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2. If Allah had sent a prophet-angel, the idol-worshippers would have argued, "This prophet can fast the whole month of Ramadan, pray 5 times a day, and travel long distances for hajj simply because he is an angel.
Human beings can't do any of that." So Allah sent them a human being like themselves to show them that these things can actually be done.
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3. Also, a prophet has to lead by example. So he has to live among people, marry like them, eat and drink like them. He should be able to teach them what it means to be a good husband, father, and son. The angels, however, cannot do any of these things.
WORDS OF WISDOM
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As we mentioned in Surah 29, the Arabic alphabet has 29 letters; 14 of them appear as individual letters or in groups at the beginning of 29 surahs, like Alif-Lam-Ra, Ta-Ha, and Ha-Mim.
Imam Ibn Kathir says in his explanation of 2:1, these 14 letters can be arranged into an Arabic sentence that reads 'صِرَاطٌ عَلَى حَقٍّ نَمْسِكُهُ' which translates to: 'A wise text with authority, full of wonders.' Although Muslim scholars have tried to explain these 14 letters, no one knows their true meaning except Allah.
UNIVERSAL MESSENGER
1Alif-Lam-Ra. These are the verses of the Book, full of wisdom.
2Is it shocking to people that We have sent revelation to a man from among themselves, 'ordering him,' "Warn humanity and give good news to the believers that they will have a great status with their Lord"? Yet the disbelievers say, "This 'man' is clearly a magician!"
الٓرۚ تِلۡكَ ءَايَٰتُ ٱلۡكِتَٰبِ ٱلۡحَكِيمِ1
أَكَانَ لِلنَّاسِ عَجَبًا أَنۡ أَوۡحَيۡنَآ إِلَىٰ رَجُلٖ مِّنۡهُمۡ أَنۡ أَنذِرِ ٱلنَّاسَ وَبَشِّرِ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓاْ أَنَّ لَهُمۡ قَدَمَ صِدۡقٍ عِندَ رَبِّهِمۡۗ قَالَ ٱلۡكَٰفِرُونَ إِنَّ هَٰذَا لَسَٰحِرٞ مُّبِينٌ2
THE MASTER CREATOR
3Surely your Lord is Allah Who created the heavens and the earth in six Days, then established Himself on the Throne, managing everything. None can speak to defend others except by His permission. That is Allah-your Lord, so worship Him 'alone'. Will you not keep this in mind?
4To Him is your return all together. Allah's promise is true. He certainly starts the creation then brings it back to life 'after death' so that He may fairly reward those who believe and do good. But those who disbelieve will have a boiling drink and a painful punishment for their disbelief.
إِنَّ رَبَّكُمُ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِي خَلَقَ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضَ فِي سِتَّةِ أَيَّامٖ ثُمَّ ٱسۡتَوَىٰ عَلَى ٱلۡعَرۡشِۖ يُدَبِّرُ ٱلۡأَمۡرَۖ مَا مِن شَفِيعٍ إِلَّا مِنۢ بَعۡدِ إِذۡنِهِۦۚ ذَٰلِكُمُ ٱللَّهُ رَبُّكُمۡ فَٱعۡبُدُوهُۚ أَفَلَا تَذَكَّرُونَ3
إِلَيۡهِ مَرۡجِعُكُمۡ جَمِيعٗاۖ وَعۡدَ ٱللَّهِ حَقًّاۚ إِنَّهُۥ يَبۡدَؤُاْ ٱلۡخَلۡقَ ثُمَّ يُعِيدُهُۥ لِيَجۡزِيَ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ ٱلصَّٰلِحَٰتِ بِٱلۡقِسۡطِۚ وَٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ لَهُمۡ شَرَابٞ مِّنۡ حَمِيمٖ وَعَذَابٌ أَلِيمُۢ بِمَا كَانُواْ يَكۡفُرُونَ4
SIGNS IN ALLAH'S CREATION
5He is the One Who made the sun a shining source and the moon a reflected light, with perfectly set phases, so that you may know the number of years and the calculation 'of time'. Allah did not create all this except for a purpose. He makes the signs clear for people who know.
6Surely in the rotation of the day and the night, and in everything Allah has created the heavens and the earth, there are truly signs for those who keep Him in mind.
هُوَ ٱلَّذِي جَعَلَ ٱلشَّمۡسَ ضِيَآءٗ وَٱلۡقَمَرَ نُورٗا وَقَدَّرَهُۥ مَنَازِلَ لِتَعۡلَمُواْ عَدَدَ ٱلسِّنِينَ وَٱلۡحِسَابَۚ مَا خَلَقَ ٱللَّهُ ذَٰلِكَ إِلَّا بِٱلۡحَقِّۚ يُفَصِّلُ ٱلۡأٓيَٰتِ لِقَوۡمٖ يَعۡلَمُونَ5
إِنَّ فِي ٱخۡتِلَٰفِ ٱلَّيۡلِ وَٱلنَّهَارِ وَمَا خَلَقَ ٱللَّهُ فِي ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِ لَأٓيَٰتٖ لِّقَوۡمٖ يَتَّقُونَ6
THOSE WHO DENY LIFE AFTER DEATH
7Surely those who do not expect to meet Us, being pleased and satisfied with this life and who are careless about Our signs,
8they will have the Fire as a home because of what they have done.
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ لَا يَرۡجُونَ لِقَآءَنَا وَرَضُواْ بِٱلۡحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنۡيَا وَٱطۡمَأَنُّواْ بِهَا وَٱلَّذِينَ هُمۡ عَنۡ ءَايَٰتِنَا غَٰفِلُونَ7
أُوْلَٰٓئِكَ مَأۡوَىٰهُمُ ٱلنَّارُ بِمَا كَانُواْ يَكۡسِبُونَ8
WORDS OF WISDOM
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Someone may ask, "Are we going to pray and fast in Jannah?" The short answer is no. The believers only pray salah, pay zakah, and fast in this world.
But in the Next Life, they will spend their time enjoying the pleasures of Paradise, saying good things, and praising Allah, as mentioned in verse 10. When the people of Jannah want some food or drink, they just say, "Sub-hana-Allah" and it will be served immediately.
Then they say, "Alhamdu-lillah" when they are done eating or drinking. (Imam Ibn Kathir)
THOSE GUIDED BY FAITH
9Surely those who believe and do good, their Lord will guide them to Jannah through their faith. Rivers will flow under their feet in the Gardens of Enjoyment,
10Where their prayer will be, "Glory be to You, O Allah!" and their greeting will be, "Peace!" and their closing prayer will be, "All praise is for Allah--Lord of the universe!"
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ ٱلصَّٰلِحَٰتِ يَهۡدِيهِمۡ رَبُّهُم بِإِيمَٰنِهِمۡۖ تَجۡرِي مِن تَحۡتِهِمُ ٱلۡأَنۡهَٰرُ فِي جَنَّٰتِ ٱلنَّعِيمِ9
دَعۡوَىٰهُمۡ فِيهَا سُبۡحَٰنَكَ ٱللَّهُمَّ وَتَحِيَّتُهُمۡ فِيهَا سَلَٰمٞۚ وَءَاخِرُ دَعۡوَىٰهُمۡ أَنِ ٱلۡحَمۡدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ ٱلۡعَٰلَمِينَ10
ALLAH'S KINDNESS
11If Allah decided to speed up evil for people "when they ask for it" the same way they want to speed up the good, they would have certainly been doomed. But We leave those who do not expect to meet Us to wander blindly in their wickedness.
۞ وَلَوۡ يُعَجِّلُ ٱللَّهُ لِلنَّاسِ ٱلشَّرَّ ٱسۡتِعۡجَالَهُم بِٱلۡخَيۡرِ لَقُضِيَ إِلَيۡهِمۡ أَجَلُهُمۡۖ فَنَذَرُ ٱلَّذِينَ لَا يَرۡجُونَ لِقَآءَنَا فِي طُغۡيَٰنِهِمۡ يَعۡمَهُونَ11
THE UNGRATEFUL
12When something bad happens to someone, they cry out to Us, while lying on their side, sitting, or standing. But when We remove their difficulty, they return to their old ways as if they had never cried to Us to remove any difficulty! In the same way, the deeds of those who went too far in evil looked good to them.
وَإِذَا مَسَّ ٱلۡإِنسَٰنَ ٱلضُّرُّ دَعَانَا لِجَنۢبِهِۦٓ أَوۡ قَاعِدًا أَوۡ قَآئِمٗا فَلَمَّا كَشَفۡنَا عَنۡهُ ضُرَّهُۥ مَرَّ كَأَن لَّمۡ يَدۡعُنَآ إِلَىٰ ضُرّٖ مَّسَّهُۥۚ كَذَٰلِكَ زُيِّنَ لِلۡمُسۡرِفِينَ مَا كَانُواْ يَعۡمَلُونَ12
WARNING TO THE IDOL-WORSHIPPERS
13We already destroyed 'other' peoples before you when they kept doing wrong, and their messengers came to them with clear proofs but they would not believe! This is how We pay back the wicked people.
14Then We put you in charge of the land after them to see what you would do.
وَلَقَدۡ أَهۡلَكۡنَا ٱلۡقُرُونَ مِن قَبۡلِكُمۡ لَمَّا ظَلَمُواْ وَجَآءَتۡهُمۡ رُسُلُهُم بِٱلۡبَيِّنَٰتِ وَمَا كَانُواْ لِيُؤۡمِنُواْۚ كَذَٰلِكَ نَجۡزِي ٱلۡقَوۡمَ ٱلۡمُجۡرِمِينَ13
ثُمَّ جَعَلۡنَٰكُمۡ خَلَٰٓئِفَ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ مِنۢ بَعۡدِهِمۡ لِنَنظُرَ كَيۡفَ تَعۡمَلُونَ14
THE MAKKANS DEMAND A NEW QURAN
15When Our clear revelations are recited to them, those who do not expect to meet Us say 'to the Prophet', "Bring us a different Quran or at least' make some changes in it."² Say "to them', "It is not for me to change it on my own; I only follow what is revealed to me. I truly fear the punishment of a horrible Day if I ever disobey my Lord."
16Say, "If Allah wanted, I would not have recited it to you, and He would not have made it known to you. I have lived my whole life among you before this revelation'. Do you not understand?"
17Who does more wrong than those who make up lies against Allah or deny His revelations? Indeed, the wicked will never succeed.
وَإِذَا تُتۡلَىٰ عَلَيۡهِمۡ ءَايَاتُنَا بَيِّنَٰتٖ قَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ لَا يَرۡجُونَ لِقَآءَنَا ٱئۡتِ بِقُرۡءَانٍ غَيۡرِ هَٰذَآ أَوۡ بَدِّلۡهُۚ قُلۡ مَا يَكُونُ لِيٓ أَنۡ أُبَدِّلَهُۥ مِن تِلۡقَآيِٕ نَفۡسِيٓۖ إِنۡ أَتَّبِعُ إِلَّا مَا يُوحَىٰٓ إِلَيَّۖ إِنِّيٓ أَخَافُ إِنۡ عَصَيۡتُ رَبِّي عَذَابَ يَوۡمٍ عَظِيم15
قُل لَّوۡ شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ مَا تَلَوۡتُهُۥ عَلَيۡكُمۡ وَلَآ أَدۡرَىٰكُم بِهِۦۖ فَقَدۡ لَبِثۡتُ فِيكُمۡ عُمُرٗا مِّن قَبۡلِهِۦٓۚ أَفَلَا تَعۡقِلُونَ16
فَمَنۡ أَظۡلَمُ مِمَّنِ ٱفۡتَرَىٰ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ كَذِبًا أَوۡ كَذَّبَ بَِٔايَٰتِهِۦٓۚ إِنَّهُۥ لَا يُفۡلِحُ ٱلۡمُجۡرِمُونَ17
THOSE WHO WORSHIP IDOLS
18They worship besides Allah things that cannot harm or benefit them, then argue, "These idols' will speak to defend us in front of Allah." Ask "them, O Prophet', "Are you informing Allah of something He does not know about in the heavens or the earth?" He is praised and honoured high above whatever 'false gods' they make equal to Him.
وَيَعۡبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ مَا لَا يَضُرُّهُمۡ وَلَا يَنفَعُهُمۡ وَيَقُولُونَ هَٰٓؤُلَآءِ شُفَعَٰٓؤُنَا عِندَ ٱللَّهِۚ قُلۡ أَتُنَبُِّٔونَ ٱللَّهَ بِمَا لَا يَعۡلَمُ فِي ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَلَا فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِۚ سُبۡحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ عَمَّا يُشۡرِكُونَ18
BELIEVERS AND DISBELIEVERS
19Humanity used to be just one community 'of believers', but later they differed.! If it was not for an earlier decision from your Lord, their differences would have been settled 'immediately'.
وَمَا كَانَ ٱلنَّاسُ إِلَّآ أُمَّةٗ وَٰحِدَةٗ فَٱخۡتَلَفُواْۚ وَلَوۡلَا كَلِمَةٞ سَبَقَتۡ مِن رَّبِّكَ لَقُضِيَ بَيۡنَهُمۡ فِيمَا فِيهِ يَخۡتَلِفُونَ19
DEMANDING A NEW MIRACLE
20Those Makkans' ask, "Why has no 'other' sign been sent down to him from his Lord?" Say, "O Prophet, «That knowledge of the unseen is only with Allah. So wait and see! I too am waiting with you."
وَيَقُولُونَ لَوۡلَآ أُنزِلَ عَلَيۡهِ ءَايَةٞ مِّن رَّبِّهِۦۖ فَقُلۡ إِنَّمَا ٱلۡغَيۡبُ لِلَّهِ فَٱنتَظِرُوٓاْ إِنِّي مَعَكُم مِّنَ ٱلۡمُنتَظِرِينَ20
UNGRATEFUL MAKKANS
21When We give people a taste of mercy after going through a difficulty, they quickly make evil plans against Our revelations! Say, "O Prophet," "Allah is quicker in planning 'punishment'. Surely Our messenger-angels are recording your evil plans."
وَإِذَآ أَذَقۡنَا ٱلنَّاسَ رَحۡمَةٗ مِّنۢ بَعۡدِ ضَرَّآءَ مَسَّتۡهُمۡ إِذَا لَهُم مَّكۡرٞ فِيٓ ءَايَاتِنَاۚ قُلِ ٱللَّهُ أَسۡرَعُ مَكۡرًاۚ إِنَّ رُسُلَنَا يَكۡتُبُونَ مَا تَمۡكُرُونَ21
UNGRATEFUL HUMANS
22He is the One Who makes it easy for you to travel on land and sea. And it so happens that you are on ships, sailing with a good wind, which makes the passengers happy. Suddenly, the ships are hit by a wild storm and those on board are slammed by waves from every side, and they assume they are doomed. They cry out to Allah 'alone' in sincere faith, "If You save us from this, we will certainly be grateful"
23But as soon as He rescues them, they spread evil throughout the land with no right. O humanity! Your evil is only against your own souls. 'You just have' a brief enjoyment in this life, then to Us is your return, and then We will make you realize what you did.
هُوَ ٱلَّذِي يُسَيِّرُكُمۡ فِي ٱلۡبَرِّ وَٱلۡبَحۡرِۖ حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا كُنتُمۡ فِي ٱلۡفُلۡكِ وَجَرَيۡنَ بِهِم بِرِيحٖ طَيِّبَةٖ وَفَرِحُواْ بِهَا جَآءَتۡهَا رِيحٌ عَاصِفٞ وَجَآءَهُمُ ٱلۡمَوۡجُ مِن كُلِّ مَكَانٖ وَظَنُّوٓاْ أَنَّهُمۡ أُحِيطَ بِهِمۡ دَعَوُاْ ٱللَّهَ مُخۡلِصِينَ لَهُ ٱلدِّينَ لَئِنۡ أَنجَيۡتَنَا مِنۡ هَٰذِهِۦ لَنَكُونَنَّ مِنَ ٱلشَّٰكِرِينَ22
فَلَمَّآ أَنجَىٰهُمۡ إِذَا هُمۡ يَبۡغُونَ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ بِغَيۡرِ ٱلۡحَقِّۗ يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّاسُ إِنَّمَا بَغۡيُكُمۡ عَلَىٰٓ أَنفُسِكُمۖ مَّتَٰعَ ٱلۡحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنۡيَاۖ ثُمَّ إِلَيۡنَا مَرۡجِعُكُمۡ فَنُنَبِّئُكُم بِمَا كُنتُمۡ تَعۡمَلُونَ23
WORDS OF WISDOM
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There is something special about this surah—the number of times water is mentioned.
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1. The disbelievers will drink boiling water in Hell (verse 4). 2. Rivers will run through Jannah for the believers (verse 9). 3. Ships sail through the sea and are sometimes hit by powerful waves (verse 22). 4. This life is like rain (verse 24).
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5. Even the 3 prophets mentioned in this surah, their stories have something to do with water: - The people of Nuh ended up drowning. - Musa was placed in a basket in the river, and later on Pharaoh was drowned.
- Yunus was in the belly of the whale before returning to his people.