Those Who Set The Ranks, Drawn up in Ranks, The Rangers — Verse 139

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, فَلَوْلاَ أَنَّهُ كَانَ مِنَ الْمُسَبِّحِينَ - لَلَبِثَ فِى بَطْنِهِ إِلَى يَوْمِ يُبْعَثُونَ (Had he not been of them who glorify Allah, He would have indeed remained inside its belly (the fish) till the Day of Resurrection.) It was said that, if he had not already done righteous deeds during his time of ease. This was the view of Ad-Dahhak bin Qays, Abu Al-`Aliyah, Wahb bin Munabbih, Qatadah and others, and it was the view favored by Ibn Jarir. This is what is indicated in the authentic Hadith which we quote below, if Allah wills. In a Hadith narrated from Ibn `Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, he said: «تَعَرَّفْ إِلَى اللهِ فِي الرَّخَاءِ، يَعْرِفْكَ فِي الشِّدَّة» (Remember Allah during times of ease and He will remember you during times of difficulty.) And it was said that what was meant by the Ayah: فَلَوْلاَ أَنَّهُ كَانَ مِنَ الْمُسَبِّحِينَ (Had he not been of them who glorify Allah,) was the meaning of the following Ayat: فَنَادَى فِى الظُّلُمَـتِ أَن لاَّ إِلَـهَ إِلاَّ أَنتَ سُبْحَـنَكَ إِنِّى كُنتُ مِنَ الظَّـلِمِينَ فَاسْتَجَبْنَا لَهُ وَنَجَّيْنَـهُ مِنَ الْغَمِّ وَكَذلِكَ نُنجِـى الْمُؤْمِنِينَ (But he cried through the darkness (saying): "La ilaha illa Anta, You are glorified! Truly, I have been of the wrongdoers." So We answered his call, and delivered him from the distress. And thus We do deliver the believers.) (21:87-88). This was the view of Sa`id bin Jubayr and others. Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that Anas bin Malik, may Allah be pleased with him -- and I do not know of anything narrated from Anas that he did not attribute to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ: «إِنَّ يُونُسَ النَّبِيَّ عَلَيْهِ الصَّلَاةُ وَالسَّلَامُ حِينَ بَدَا لَهُ أَنْ يَدْعُوَ بِهَذِهِ الْكَلِمَاتِ وَهُوَ فِي بَطْنِ الْحُوتِ فَقَالَ: اللْهُمَّ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ سُبْحَانَكَ إِنِّي كُنْتُ مِنَ الظَّالِمِينَ،فَأَقْبَلَتِ الدَّعْوَةُ تَحُفُّ بِالْعَرْشِ، قَالَتِ الْمَلَائِكَةُ: يَا رَبِّ هَذَا صَوْتٌ ضَعِيفٌ مَعْرُوفٌ مِنْ بِلَادٍ بَعِيدَةٍ غَرِيبَةٍ فَقَالَ اللهُ تَعَالَى: أَمَا تَعْرِفُونَ ذَلِكَ؟ قَالُوا: يَا رَبِّ وَمَنْ هُوَ؟ قَالَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ: عَبْدِي يُونُسُ، قَالُوا: عَبْدُكَ يُونُسُ الَّذِي لَمْ يَزَلْ يُرْفَعُ لَهُ عَمَلٌ مُتَقَبَّلٌ وَدَعْوَةٌ مُسْتَجَابَةٌ؟ قَالُوا: يَا رَبِّ أَوَلَا تَرْحَمُ مَا كَانَ يَصْنَعُ فِي الرَّخَاءِ فَتُنْجِيَهُ فِي الْبَلَاءِ، قَالَ: بَلَى، فَأَمَرَ الْحُوتَ فَطَرَحَهُ بِالْعَرَاء» (When it occurred to the Prophet Yunus, upon him be peace, to call upon Allah in these words when he was in the belly of the great fish, he said, "La ilaha illa Anta, Yo are glorified! Truly, I have been of the wrongdoers." This call went and hovered around the (mighty) Throne, and the angels said, "O Lord, this is the voice of one who is weak but known, in a faraway strange land. Allah, may He be exalted, said, "How do you know this" They said, "O Lord, who is he" Allah, may He be exalted, said, "My servant Yunus." They said, "Your servant Yunus, from whom there kept coming acceptable deeds and supplications which were answered!" They said, "O Lord, will You not have mercy on him for what he did during his time of ease, and save him from this trial and tribulation" He said, "Of course." So, He commanded the great fish, and it cast him forth on the naked shore.) Allah says: فَنَبَذْنَـهُ (But We cast him forth) meaning, `We threw him out,' بِالْعَرَآءِ (on the naked shore) Ibn `Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, and others said that this refers to land in which there is no vegetation and no buildings. وَهُوَ سَقِيمٌ (while he was sick,) means, when he was weak of body. وَأَنبَتْنَا عَلَيْهِ شَجَرَةً مِّن يَقْطِينٍ (And We caused a plant of gourd to grow over him.) Ibn Mas`ud and Ibn `Abbas, may Allah be pleased with them both, Mujahid, `Ikrimah, Sa`id bin Jubayr, Wahb bin Munabbih, Hilal bin Yasaf, `Abdullah bin Tawus, As-Suddi, Qatadah, Ad-Dahhak, `Ata' Al-Khurasani and several others, all said that gourd means squash. Some of them mentioned that the squash has a number of benefits: it grows quickly, its leaves offer shade because of their large size and smooth texture, flies do not come near it, and its fruits provide good nourishment; they may be eaten raw or cooked, and both the pulp and the peel may be eaten. It was reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to like squash and would look for it wherever it was on the serving dish. وَأَرْسَلْنَـهُ إِلَى مِاْئَةِ أَلْفٍ أَوْ يَزِيدُونَ (And We sent him to a hundred thousand (people) or even more.) It is as if he was commanded, after he came forth from the fish, to go back to those to whom he had been sent in the first place, and they all believed in him. أَوْ يَزِيدُونَ (or even more.) Makhul said, "They numbered one hundred and ten thousand. This was reported by Ibn Abi Hatim. Ibn Jarir said, "Some of the scholars of Arabic, the people of Basrah, said that this means up to one hundred thousand or more." Ibn Jarir interpreted this Ayah as he interpreted the Ayat: ثُمَّ قَسَتْ قُلُوبُكُمْ مِّن بَعْدِ ذلِكَ فَهِىَ كَالْحِجَارَةِ أَوْ أَشَدُّ قَسْوَةً (Then, after that, your hearts were hardened and became as stones or even worse in hardness) (2:74). إِذَا فَرِيقٌ مِّنْهُمْ يَخْشَوْنَ النَّاسَ كَخَشْيَةِ اللَّهِ أَوْ أَشَدَّ خَشْيَةً (Behold! a section of them fear men as they fear Allah or even more) (4:77), and فَكَانَ قَابَ قَوْسَيْنِ أَوْ أَدْنَى (And was at a distance of two bows' length or (even) nearer) (53:9). The meaning is, not less than that, but rather more. فَـَامِنُواْ (And they believed;) means, these people to whom Yunus, peace be upon him, had been sent all believed. فَمَتَّعْنَـهُمْ إِلَى حِينٍ (so We gave them enjoyment for a while. ) means, until the time of their appointed end. This is like the Ayah, فَلَوْلاَ كَانَتْ قَرْيَةٌ ءَامَنَتْ فَنَفَعَهَآ إِيمَانُهَا إِلاَّ قَوْمَ يُونُسَ لَمَّآ ءَامَنُواْ كَشَفْنَا عَنْهُمْ عَذَابَ الخِزْىِ فِى الْحَيَوةَ الدُّنْيَا وَمَتَّعْنَاهُمْ إِلَى حِينٍ (Was there any town (community) that believed, and its faith (at that moment) saved it -- except the people of Yunus; when they believed, We removed from them the torment of disgrace in the life of the (present) world, and permitted them to enjoy for a while.) (10:98) فَاسْتَفْتِهِمْ أَلِرَبِّكَ الْبَنَاتُ وَلَهُمُ الْبَنُونَ - أَمْ خَلَقْنَا الْمَلَـئِكَةَ إِنَـثاً وَهُمْ شَـهِدُونَ - أَلاَ إِنَّهُم مِّنْ إِفْكِهِمْ لَيَقُولُونَ - وَلَدَ اللَّهُ وَإِنَّهُمْ لَكَـذِبُونَ - أَصْطَفَى الْبَنَاتِ عَلَى الْبَنِينَ مَا لَكُمْ كَيْفَ تَحْكُمُونَ أَفَلاَ تَذَكَّرُونَ أَمْ لَكُمْ سُلْطَـنٌ مُّبِينٌ فَأْتُواْ بِكِتَـبِكُمْ إِن كُنتُمْ صَـدِقِينَ وَجَعَلُواْ بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَ الْجِنَّةِ نَسَباً وَلَقَدْ عَلِمَتِ الجِنَّةُ إِنَّهُمْ لَمُحْضَرُونَ

And indeed Jonah was one of the messengers;

Jonah too was one of the envoys. When the generous, lovingly kind Lord, gentle and merciful to the servants, imprisoned Jonah in the belly of the fish, He made His remembrance and name his intimate, so he kept on saying, “There is no god but Thou! Glory be to Thee!” [21:87]. God's remembrance was his intimate in his trouble and God's love was the cause of his comfort. Whenever someone's heart is inscribed with God's love, Though he be in water or fire, his life will be sweet with God's love. Your name became the lamp of Jonah's darkness, the adornment of every session in the world. Although outwardly the fish's belly was Jonah's trial, in terms of inwardness, it was his place of seclusion. He wanted to talk secretly with the Friend without the intrusion of others. Just as the fish's belly was made into Jonah's place of retreat, so also the middle of Nimrod's fire was made into Abraham's retreat, and the corner of that cave was made into Abū Bakr's place of retreat with the paragon of the world. In the same way, wherever there is a person of faith, a tawḤīd-voicer, he has a place of retreat in his own exalted breast. The cave of his secret core is the descending place of the divine gentleness and the site of the lordly gaze. O tawḤīd-voicing man of faith, if you are delighted, that is fitting, and if you revel, that is fit- ting, for He Himself says, “The cave of the faithful man's heart is the place made ready for Our divine secrets. On the tree of the faithful man's faith is the nest of the bird of Our good fortune. In the meadow of the faithful man's heart is the wellspring of the effusion of Our majesty's gaze. Here is your blessed place of retreat! Here is your garden of pleasure! Here is your springhead of pure water without blight! When We make a cave in your breast, that is not the devil's place of refuge. When We plant a tree in your inwardness, the bird of Satanic disquiet will not take it as a nesting place. When We make a wellspring from the courtyard of your breast, nothing will gush forth but the water of bounteousness.

Jonah too was one of the envoys. When the generous, lovingly kind Lord, gentle and merciful to the servants, imprisoned Jonah in the belly of the fish, He made His remembrance and name his intimate, so he kept on saying, “There is no god but Thou! Glory be to Thee!” [21:87]. God's remembrance was his intimate in his trouble and God's love was the cause of his comfort. Whenever someone's heart is inscribed with God's love, Though he be in water or fire, his life will be sweet with God's love. Your name became the lamp of Jonah's darkness, the adornment of every session in the world. Although outwardly the fish's belly was Jonah's trial, in terms of inwardness, it was his place of seclusion. He wanted to talk secretly with the Friend without the intrusion of others. Just as the fish's belly was made into Jonah's place of retreat, so also the middle of Nimrod's fire was made into Abraham's retreat, and the corner of that cave was made into Abū Bakr's place of retreat with the paragon of the world. In the same way, wherever there is a person of faith, a tawḤīd-voicer, he has a place of retreat in his own exalted breast. The cave of his secret core is the descending place of the divine gentleness and the site of the lordly gaze. O tawḤīd-voicing man of faith, if you are delighted, that is fitting, and if you revel, that is fit- ting, for He Himself says, “The cave of the faithful man's heart is the place made ready for Our divine secrets. On the tree of the faithful man's faith is the nest of the bird of Our good fortune. In the meadow of the faithful man's heart is the wellspring of the effusion of Our majesty's gaze. Here is your blessed place of retreat! Here is your garden of pleasure! Here is your springhead of pure water without blight! When We make a cave in your breast, that is not the devil's place of refuge. When We plant a tree in your inwardness, the bird of Satanic disquiet will not take it as a nesting place. When We make a wellspring from the courtyard of your breast, nothing will gush forth but the water of bounteousness.

Jonah too was one of the envoys. When the generous, lovingly kind Lord, gentle and merciful to the servants, imprisoned Jonah in the belly of the fish, He made His remembrance and name his intimate, so he kept on saying, “There is no god but Thou! Glory be to Thee!” [21:87]. God's remembrance was his intimate in his trouble and God's love was the cause of his comfort. Whenever someone's heart is inscribed with God's love, Though he be in water or fire, his life will be sweet with God's love. Your name became the lamp of Jonah's darkness, the adornment of every session in the world. Although outwardly the fish's belly was Jonah's trial, in terms of inwardness, it was his place of seclusion. He wanted to talk secretly with the Friend without the intrusion of others. Just as the fish's belly was made into Jonah's place of retreat, so also the middle of Nimrod's fire was made into Abraham's retreat, and the corner of that cave was made into Abū Bakr's place of retreat with the paragon of the world. In the same way, wherever there is a person of faith, a tawḤīd-voicer, he has a place of retreat in his own exalted breast. The cave of his secret core is the descending place of the divine gentleness and the site of the lordly gaze. O tawḤīd-voicing man of faith, if you are delighted, that is fitting, and if you revel, that is fit- ting, for He Himself says, “The cave of the faithful man's heart is the place made ready for Our divine secrets. On the tree of the faithful man's faith is the nest of the bird of Our good fortune. In the meadow of the faithful man's heart is the wellspring of the effusion of Our majesty's gaze. Here is your blessed place of retreat! Here is your garden of pleasure! Here is your springhead of pure water without blight! When We make a cave in your breast, that is not the devil's place of refuge. When We plant a tree in your inwardness, the bird of Satanic disquiet will not take it as a nesting place. When We make a wellspring from the courtyard of your breast, nothing will gush forth but the water of bounteousness.

Jonah too was one of the envoys. When the generous, lovingly kind Lord, gentle and merciful to the servants, imprisoned Jonah in the belly of the fish, He made His remembrance and name his intimate, so he kept on saying, “There is no god but Thou! Glory be to Thee!” [21:87]. God's remembrance was his intimate in his trouble and God's love was the cause of his comfort. Whenever someone's heart is inscribed with God's love, Though he be in water or fire, his life will be sweet with God's love. Your name became the lamp of Jonah's darkness, the adornment of every session in the world. Although outwardly the fish's belly was Jonah's trial, in terms of inwardness, it was his place of seclusion. He wanted to talk secretly with the Friend without the intrusion of others. Just as the fish's belly was made into Jonah's place of retreat, so also the middle of Nimrod's fire was made into Abraham's retreat, and the corner of that cave was made into Abū Bakr's place of retreat with the paragon of the world. In the same way, wherever there is a person of faith, a tawḤīd-voicer, he has a place of retreat in his own exalted breast. The cave of his secret core is the descending place of the divine gentleness and the site of the lordly gaze. O tawḤīd-voicing man of faith, if you are delighted, that is fitting, and if you revel, that is fit- ting, for He Himself says, “The cave of the faithful man's heart is the place made ready for Our divine secrets. On the tree of the faithful man's faith is the nest of the bird of Our good fortune. In the meadow of the faithful man's heart is the wellspring of the effusion of Our majesty's gaze. Here is your blessed place of retreat! Here is your garden of pleasure! Here is your springhead of pure water without blight! When We make a cave in your breast, that is not the devil's place of refuge. When We plant a tree in your inwardness, the bird of Satanic disquiet will not take it as a nesting place. When We make a wellspring from the courtyard of your breast, nothing will gush forth but the water of bounteousness.

Jonah too was one of the envoys.When the generous, lovingly kind Lord, gentle and merciful to the servants, imprisoned Jonah in the belly of the fish, He made His remembrance and name his intimate, so he kept on saying, �There is no god but Thou! Glory be to Thee!� [21:87]. God's remembrance was his intimate in his trouble and God's love was the cause of his comfort. Whenever someone's heart is inscribed with God's love,Though he be in water or fire,his life will be sweet with God's love.Your name became the lamp of Jonah's darkness, the adornment of every session in the world.Although outwardly the fish's belly was Jonah's trial, in terms of inwardness, it was his place of seclusion. He wanted to talk secretly with the Friend without the intrusion of others. Just as the fish's belly was made into Jonah's place of retreat, so also the middle of Nimrod's fire was made into Abraham's retreat, and the corner of that cave was made into Abū Bakr's place of retreat with the paragon of the world. In the same way, wherever there is a person of faith, a tawḤīd-voicer, he has a place of retreat in his own exalted breast. The cave of his secret core is the descending place of the divine gentleness and the site of the lordly gaze.O tawḤīd-voicing man of faith, if you are delighted, that is fitting, and if you revel, that is fit- ting, for He Himself says, �The cave of the faithful man's heart is the place made ready for Our divine secrets. On the tree of the faithful man's faith is the nest of the bird of Our good fortune. In the meadow of the faithful man's heart is the wellspring of the effusion of Our majesty's gaze. Here is your blessed place of retreat! Here is your garden of pleasure! Here is your springhead of pure water without blight! When We make a cave in your breast, that is not the devil's place of refuge. When We plant a tree in your inwardness, the bird of Satanic disquiet will not take it as a nesting place. When We make a wellspring from the courtyard of your breast, nothing will gush forth but the water of bounteousness.

وإن عبدنا يونس اصطفيناه وجعلناه من المرسلين، إذ هرب من بلده غاضبًا على قومه، وركب سفينة مملوءة ركابًا وأمتعة.

قد تقدمت قصة يونس عليه الصلاة والسلام في سورة الأنبياء وفي الصحيحين عن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم أنه قال "ما ينبغي لعبد أن يقول أنا خير من يونس بن متى" ونسبه إلى أمه وفي رواية إلى أبيه.

ثم ختم - سبحانه - هذه القصص ، بذكر جانب من قصة يونس - عليه السلام - فقال :( وَإِنَّ يُونُسَ لَمِنَ . . . ) .يونس - عليه السلام - : هو ابن متى ، وقد ثبت فى الصحيحين عن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم أنه قال : " ما ينبغى لعبد أن يقول : أنا خير من يونس بن متى " .وملخص قصته أن الله - تعالى - أرسله إلى أهل نينوى بالعراق ، وفى حوالى القرن الثامن قبل الميلاد ، فدعاهم إلى إخلاص العبادة لله - فاستعصوا عليه ، فضاق بهم ذرعا ، وأخبرهم أن العذاب سيأتيهم خلال ثلاثة أيام ، فلما كان اليوم الثالث خرج يونس من بلدة قومه ، قبل أن يأذن الله له بالخروج ، فلما افتقده قومه ، آمنوا وتابوا ، وتضرعوا بالدعاء إلى الله قبل أن ينزل بهم العذاب .فلما لم ير يونس نزول العذاب ، استحى أن يرجع إليهم وقال : لا أرجع إليهم كذابا أبدا ، ومضى على وجهه فأتى سفينة فركبها فلما وصلت اللجنة وقفت ولم تتحرك .فقال صاحبها : ما يمنعها أن تسير إلا أن فيكم رجلا مشئوما ، فاقترعوا ليلقوا فى البحر من وقعت عليه القرعة ، فكانت على يونس ثم أعادوها فوقعت عليه ، فلما رأى ذلك ألقى بنفسه فى البحر ، فالتقمه الحوت .والمعنى : وإن يونس - عليه السلام - لمن المرسلين الذين اصطفيناهم لحمل رسالتنا وتبليغها إلى الناس .

القول في تأويل قوله تعالى : وَإِنَّ يُونُسَ لَمِنَ الْمُرْسَلِينَ (139)يقول تعالى ذكره: وإن يونس لمرسل من المرسلين إلى أقوامهم .

قوله تعالى : ( وإن يونس لمن المرسلين ) من جملة رسل الله .

وَإِنَّ يُونُسَ لَمِنَ الْمُرْسَلِينَ (139) يونس هو ابن متّى ، واسمه بالعبرانية ( يُونان بن آمتاي ) ، وهو من أهل فلسطين ، وهو من أنبياء بني إسرائيل أرسله الله إلى أهل ( نينوَى ) وكانت نينَوى مدينة عظيمة من بلاد الأشوريين وكان بها أسرى بني إسرائيل الذين بأيدي الأشوريين وكانوا زهاء مائة ألف بقُوا بعد ( دانيال ) . وكان يونس في أول القرن الثامن قبل المسيح ، وقد تقدم ذكره وذكر قومه في الأنعام وسورة يونس .و { إذ } ظرف متعلق ب { المُرسلينَ } ، وإنما وُقتت رسالته بالزمن الذي أبَق فيه إلى الفُلك لأن فَعلته تلك كانت عندما أمره الله بالذهاب إلى نينَوى لإِبلاغ بني إسرائيل أن الله غضب عليهم لأنهم انحرفوا عن شريعتهم .فحينما أوحى الله إليه بذلك عَظم عليه هذا الأمر فخرج من بلده وقصد مرسى ( يافا ) ليذهب إلى مدينة ( ترشيش ) وهي طرطوسِية على شاطىء بلاد الشام فهال البحر حتى اضطر أهل السفينة إلى تخفيف عدد ركابها فاستهموا على من يطرحونه من سفينتهم في البحر فكان يونس ممن خرج سهم إلقائه في البحر فالْتَقَمه حوت عظيم وجرت قصته المذكورة في سورة الأنبياء ، فلما كان هروبه من كلفة الرسالة مقارناً لإِرساله وُقّت بكونه من المرسلين .و { أبَقَ } مصْدره إِباق بكسر الهمزة وتخفيف الباء وهو فرار العبد مِن مالكه . وفعله كضرب وسمع . والمراد هنا : أن يونس هرب من البلد الذي أوحي إليه فيه قاصداً بلداً آخر تخلصاً من إبلاغ رسالة الله إلى أهل ( نِينْوَى ) ولعله خاف بأسَهم واتّهم صبرَ نفسه على أذاهم المتوَّقعَ لأنهم كانوا من بني إسرائيل في حماية الأشوريين . ففِعل { أبَق } هنا استعارة تمثيلية ، شبّهت حالة خروجه من البلد الذي كلّفه ربه فيه بالرسالة تباعداً من كلفة ربه بإباق العبد من سيده الذي كلّفه عملاً .

وهذا ثناء منه تعالى، على عبده ورسوله، يونس بن متى، كما أثنى على إخوانه المرسلين، بالنبوة والرسالة، والدعوة إلى اللّه، وذكر تعالى عنه، أنه عاقبه عقوبة دنيوية، أنجاه منها بسبب إيمانه وأعماله الصالحة،

قوله تعالى : وإن يونس لمن المرسلين يونس هو ذو النون ، وهو ابن متى ، وهو ابن العجوز التي نزل عليها إلياس ، فاستخفى عندها من قومه ستة أشهر ويونس صبي يرضع ، وكانت أم يونس تخدمه بنفسها وتؤانسه ، ولا تدخر عنه كرامة تقدر عليها . ثم إن إلياس سئم ضيق البيوت فلحق بالجبال ، ومات ابن المرأة يونس ، فخرجت في أثر إلياس تطوف وراءه في الجبال حتى وجدته ، فسألته أن يدعو الله لها لعله يحيي لها ولدها ، فجاء إلياس إلى الصبي بعد أربعة عشر يوما من موته ، فتوضأ وصلى ودعا الله فأحيا الله يونس بن متى بدعوة إلياس عليه السلام . وأرسل الله يونس إلى أهل نينوى من أرض الموصل وكانوا يعبدون الأصنام ثم تابوا ، حسبما تقدم بيانه في سورة [ يونس ] ومضى في [ الأنبياء ] قصة يونس في خروجه مغاضبا . واختلف في رسالته هل كانت قبل التقام الحوت إياه أو بعده . قال الطبري عن شهر بن حوشب : إن جبريل - عليه السلام - أتى يونس فقال : انطلق إلى أهل نينوى فأنذرهم أن العذاب قد حضرهم . قال : ألتمس دابة . قال : الأمر أعجل من ذلك . قال : ألتمس حذاء . قال : الأمر أعجل من ذلك . قال : فغضب فانطلق إلى السفينة فركب ، فلما ركب السفينة احتبست السفينة لا تتقدم ولا تتأخر . قال : فتساهموا ، قال : فسهم ، فجاء الحوت يبصبص بذنبه ، فنودي الحوت : أيا حوت! إنا لم نجعل لك يونس رزقا ، إنما جعلناك له حرزا ومسجدا . قال : فالتقمه الحوت من ذلك المكان حتى مر به إلى الأبلة ، ثم انطلق به حتى مر به على دجلة ، ثم انطلق [ ص: 110 ] حتى ألقاه في نينوى . حدثنا الحارث قال حدثنا الحسن قال حدثنا أبو هلال قال حدثنا شهر بن حوشب عن ابن عباس قال : إنما كانت رسالة يونس بعد ما نبذه الحوت ، واستدل هؤلاء بأن الرسول لا يخرج مغاضبا لربه ، فكان ما جرى منه قبل النبوة . وقال آخرون : كان ذلك منه بعد دعائه من أرسل إليهم إلى ما أمره الله بدعائهم إليه ، وتبليغه إياهم رسالة ربه ، ولكنه وعدهم نزول ما كان حذرهم من بأس الله في وقت وقته لهم ، ففارقهم إذ لم يتوبوا ولم يراجعوا طاعة الله ، فلما أظل القوم العذاب وغشيهم - كما قال الله تعالى في تنزيله - تابوا إلى الله ، فرفع الله العذاب عنهم ، وبلغ يونس سلامتهم وارتفاع العذاب الذي كان وعدهموه فغضب من ذلك وقال : وعدتهم وعدا فكذب وعدي . فذهب مغاضبا ربه وكره الرجوع إليهم ، وقد جربوا عليه الكذب ، رواه سعيد بن جبير عن ابن عباس . وقد مضى هذا في [ الأنبياء ] وهو الصحيح على ما يأتي عند قوله تعالى : وأرسلناه إلى مائة ألف أو يزيدون ولم ينصرف يونس ; لأنه اسم أعجمي ، ولو كان عربيا لانصرف وإن كانت في أوله الياء ; لأنه ليس في الأفعال " يفعل " كما أنك إذا سميت بيعفر صرفته ، وإن سميت بيعفر لم تصرفه .

Jonah (Yunus) lived in the eighth century B.C. and was sent as a prophet to the ancient city of Nineveh in Iraq. After performing his dawah mission for a certain period of time, he came to the conclusion that his people were not going to embrace the true faith, and left the city. To proceed with his journey, he boarded a boat, perhaps on the bank of the River Tigris. The boat was overloaded; and halfway to its destination it was feared that it would sink. In order to lighten the burden of the boat, lots were drawn to decide who should be thrown out of the boat. The name of Jonah was drawn and so the sea-men threw him over-board. Then, at God’s behest, a huge fish swallowed him, took him to the river bank and cast him ashore. Jonah had left his people before time, in this way God ordained him to return to his people. He went back and started preaching once again, with the result that all the one hundred and twenty five thousand inhabitants of the area became believers. This incident shows that it is absolutely essential for a preacher to have patience, even at a time when his community becomes hostile towards him.

Commentary The last event described in this Sarah is that of Sayyidna Yunus (علیہ السلام) . This event, along with its details, has appeared towards the later part of Surah Yunus (please see Ma’ ariful-Qur’ an, English, Volume IV, pages 573-588). However, a few necessary comments about these particular verses are being given below. In the opening verse (139), it was said: وَإِنَّ يُونُسَ لَمِنَ الْمُرْ‌سَلِينَ (And surely, Yunus (علیہ السلام) is from among the messengers). Was Sayyidna Yunus (علیہ السلام) ordained as a messenger much earlier than his encounter with the fish, or did it come to pass after that? This issue has been a subject of debate among some commentators and historians. Some of them think that he was made a messenger after this event. But, in view of the apparent order and style of the noble Qur'an, and from most Hadith narrations, it is more likely that he was invested with the mission of prophethood earlier. The event of the fish came later.

(And lo! Jonah verily was of those sent (to warn)) his folk,