Surah As-Saffat, Ayah 147

The Story of Yunus

We have already discussed the story of Yunus, peace be upon him, in Surat Al-Anbiya' (21:87-88). In the Two Sahihs it is reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

«مَا يَنْبَغِي لِعَبْدٍ أَنْ يَقُولَ: أَنَا خَيْرٌ مِنْ يُونُسَ بْنِ مَتَّى»

(It is not right for any person to say I am better than Yunus bin Matta.)

إِذْ أَبَقَ إِلَى الْفُلْكِ الْمَشْحُونِ

(When he ran to the laden ship.) Ibn `Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, said, "It was filled with cargo.

فَسَـهَمَ

(Then he (agreed to) cast lots,) means, to draw lots."

فَكَانَ مِنَ الْمُدْحَضِينَ

(and he was among the losers.) means among those who have been overcome. This was because the ship was being pounded by the waves on all sides, and they were at risk of drowning, so they drew lots, and whoever lost would be thrown overboard so as to lighten the load. The Prophet of Allah Yunus, peace be upon him, lost the draw three times, but they did not want to throw him overboard. He took off his garment so that he could throw himself into the sea, and they tried to stop him. Then Allah commanded a large fish from the Green Sea (i.e., Mediterranian Sea) to cleave the oceans and come and swallow Yunus, peace be upon him, without cutting his flesh or breaking his bones. The fish came and Yunus, peace be upon him, threw himself overboard, and the fish swallowed him and took him away, traveling through all the seas with him. When Yunus had stayed for some time in the fish's belly, he thought that he had died; then he moved his head and legs and arms, and saw that he was alive. He prayed in the belly of the fish, and one of the things he said in his main prayer was: "O Lord, I have taken as a place of worship to You a place which no other person has reached." They differed as to how long he spent in the belly of the fish. Some said three days; this was the view of Qatadah. Some said seven days; this was the view of Ja`far As-Sadiq, may Allah be pleased with him. Some said forty days; this was the view of Abu Malik. Mujahid said, narrating from Ash-Sha`bi, "It swallowed him in the morning and cast him forth in the evening." And Allah knows best how long exactly was. Allah says,

It was said in verse 147: Y); وَأَرْ‌سَلْنَاهُ إِلَىٰ مِائَةِ أَلْفٍ أَوْ يَزِيدُونَ (And We had sent him [ as messenger ] to one hundred thousand, or more). A difficulty may arise here. Is it not that Allah Ta’ ala is Knowing and Aware? Why would He have to express the doubt that the number of those people was 'one hundred thousand, or more?' It can be answered by saying that this statement has been made in congruity with the view of common people, that is, if an average person would have seen them, he would have said that their number is one hundred thousand or somewhat more than that (Mazhari). Maulana Ashraf ` Ali Thanavi (رح) has said that nothing is being doubted here in the text itself. They could be called one hundred thousand, and also more than that - for example, if one eliminates the fraction, their number was one hundred thousand, and if the fraction were also taken into account, it would be more than one hundred thousand. (Bayan-ul-Qur’ an)

Lot was Abraham’s nephew. He was sent to give guidance to the people of Sodom and Gomorrah (in the Dead Sea area). The inhabitants of this place indulged in the worship of beings other than God. But they did not accept Lot’s guidance. At last, they had to face the wrath of God and all were killed except Lot and his companions. The ruins of the towns inhabited by the people of Lot lay along the Dead Sea coast, and the Quraysh tribesmen used to pass by these ruins while on their way to Syria and Palestine to engage in trade. But unfortunately, man takes note of incidents that befall him but seldom learns lessons from the fate of others.