Who was Prophet Yunus? His life and story

Full story

1. 1

   Leaving his people

   Yunus (peace be upon him) called his people to worship Allah alone, but they stubbornly turned away for a long time. Having lost hope that they would believe, Yunus left his people and set out before Allah's permission had come.

   He boarded a ship at sea. When the ship could not bear its load, someone on board had to be thrown into the water, and the lot fell on Yunus.

2. 2

   Prayer in the belly of the fish

   Yunus (peace be upon him) was thrown into the sea, and a great fish swallowed him (As-Saffat, 142). He remained in layered darkness: the darkness of night, of the sea, and of the fish's belly.

   There he cried out to Allah with his whole heart: "There is no god worthy of worship but You, glory be to You. Indeed, I have been among the wrongdoers" (Al-Anbya, 87). This prayer is the finest example of repentance and of declaring Allah free of every imperfection.

3. 3

   Deliverance and his people's faith

   Allah accepted his prayer and delivered him from distress (Al-Anbya, 88). The Quran states that had he not been among those who glorified Allah greatly, he would have remained in the fish's belly until the Day of Resurrection (As-Saffat, 143-144).

   The fish cast him onto the shore, and Allah caused a plant to grow over him to give him shade. When he returned to his people, he found that they had come to believe; for that reason Allah lifted the punishment from them and let them live on for a set time (Yunus, 98).

4. 4

   Allah's choosing of Yunus

   The Quran draws a lesson from the story of Yunus (peace be upon him): "So be patient for the decision of your Lord, and do not be like the companion of the fish (Yunus)..." Had the grace of his Lord not reached him, he would have been cast onto the bare shore in a blameworthy state; "But his Lord chose him and made him one of the righteous" (Al-Qalam, 48-50).

   Upholding the standing of Yunus, our Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "No one should say, 'I am better than Yunus ibn Matta'" (Sahih Bukhari). This shows his high worth before Allah after his repentance.

Yunus (peace be upon him) gives his name to chapter 10 of the Quran; his story is narrated mainly in Surah Al-Anbya and Surah As-Saffat. The Quran presents his prayer in the belly of the fish as an example of deliverance for all believers, and mentions the people of Yunus as the only people who came to believe and were saved before the punishment struck (Yunus, 98).

• No situation, not even the darkest moment, is too late to turn to Allah in prayer.
• Repentance and declaring Allah free of every imperfection deliver a person from the greatest hardship.
• Patience is essential in calling others to Allah; the outcome belongs to Allah alone.
• Allah does not forget in hardship the servant who remembers Him in times of ease.

This page is based on Quran verses and authentic hadith sources.

• QuranSurah Al-Anbya, 87

  This verse relates the famous prayer Yunus (peace be upon him) made in the darkness.

• QuranSurah As-Saffat, 145

  These verses relate the fish casting Yunus (peace be upon him) onto the shore and his deliverance.

• QuranSurah Yunus, 98

  This verse states that the people of Yunus believed and were saved from the punishment.

• QuranSurah Al-Qalam, 48-50

  These verses relate Allah choosing Yunus (peace be upon him) and making him one of the righteous, and the command to the Prophet to be patient.

• HadithSahih Bukhari, 3395

  This hadith relates our Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) saying, "No one should say, 'I am better than Yunus ibn Matta.'"

• Classical sourceTDV İslam Ansiklopedisi, "Yûnus"

  Referenced for academic information about the life of Prophet Yunus and his people.

Other Prophets connected with this story.

• Prophet Nuh

  The Prophet who built the ark, one of the Ulul-Azm

• Prophet Ayyub

  A Prophet who is a symbol of patience

Common questions about this Prophet.

• Who was Prophet Yunus?

  Yunus (peace be upon him) is a Prophet who called his people to Tawhid, was swallowed by a great fish at sea, and was saved by repenting to Allah. He is also known by the name "Dhun-Nun" (the companion of the fish).

• Why did the fish swallow Prophet Yunus?

  Having lost hope in his people's faith, he left them before Allah's permission had come, and so was tried at sea; thrown from the ship, Yunus was swallowed by a great fish (As-Saffat, 142).

• What was Prophet Yunus's prayer?

  In the belly of the fish he prayed: "La ilaha illa anta, subhanaka, inni kuntu min az-zalimin": "There is no god but You, glory be to You, I have been among the wrongdoers" (Al-Anbya, 87).

• Did Prophet Yunus's people come to believe?

  Yes. When Yunus returned, he found that his people had come to believe; they were the only people who believed and were saved before the punishment arrived (Yunus, 98).

• What did our Prophet say about Prophet Yunus?

  Our Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, "No one should say, 'I am better than Yunus ibn Matta'" (Sahih Bukhari). The Quran also says of him, "His Lord chose him and made him one of the righteous" (Al-Qalam, 50).