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Prophet Yunus (AS): Inside the Whale

Ages 5–9 Story 22 of 30

Allah sent Prophet Yunus (AS) to a large town of more than a hundred thousand people. He called them to worship Allah, but they would not listen. Yunus became upset and left the town angry, before Allah had given him permission to go.

Yunus boarded a crowded ship. Out at sea, a great storm came, and the ship was too heavy. The sailors drew lots to decide who must leave the ship, and Yunus's name came out. He went into the sea, and a huge fish swallowed him.

Inside the fish it was dark: the darkness of the night, the darkness of the sea and the darkness of the fish's belly. Yunus knew he had made a mistake by leaving his people without permission. He called out: La ilaha illa anta, subhanaka, inni kuntu minaz-zalimin, "There is no god but You. Glory be to You. I have done wrong."

Allah heard him and saved him. The fish threw Yunus out onto the shore. He was weak and ill, so Allah made a gourd plant grow over him to give him shade and food. When he was better, Yunus went back to his town and found that the people had believed in Allah while he was gone!

The Prophet ﷺ said that any Muslim who makes the dua of Yunus about anything, Allah will answer him.

Where this story comes from

Qur'an 10:98 · Yoonus
فَلَوۡلَا كَانَتۡ قَرۡيَةٌ ءَامَنَتۡ فَنَفَعَهَآ إِيمَٰنُهَآ إِلَّا قَوۡمَ يُونُسَ لَمَّآ ءَامَنُواْ كَشَفۡنَا عَنۡهُمۡ عَذَابَ ٱلۡخِزۡيِ فِي ٱلۡحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنۡيَا وَمَتَّعۡنَٰهُمۡ إِلَىٰ حِينࣲ 98

Read and listen in the surah →

Qur'an 21:87–88 · Al-Anbiyaa'
وَذَا ٱلنُّونِ إِذ ذَّهَبَ مُغَٰضِبࣰا فَظَنَّ أَن لَّن نَّقۡدِرَ عَلَيۡهِ فَنَادَىٰ فِي ٱلظُّلُمَٰتِ أَن لَّآ إِلَٰهَ إِلَّآ أَنتَ سُبۡحَٰنَكَ إِنِّي كُنتُ مِنَ ٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ 87 فَٱسۡتَجَبۡنَا لَهُۥ وَنَجَّيۡنَٰهُ مِنَ ٱلۡغَمِّۚ وَكَذَٰلِكَ نُـۨجِي ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ 88

Read and listen in the surah →

Qur'an 37:139–148 · Aṣ-Ṣaaffaat
وَإِنَّ يُونُسَ لَمِنَ ٱلۡمُرۡسَلِينَ 139 إِذۡ أَبَقَ إِلَى ٱلۡفُلۡكِ ٱلۡمَشۡحُونِ 140 فَسَاهَمَ فَكَانَ مِنَ ٱلۡمُدۡحَضِينَ 141 فَٱلۡتَقَمَهُ ٱلۡحُوتُ وَهُوَ مُلِيمࣱ 142 فَلَوۡلَآ أَنَّهُۥ كَانَ مِنَ ٱلۡمُسَبِّحِينَ 143 لَلَبِثَ فِي بَطۡنِهِۦٓ إِلَىٰ يَوۡمِ يُبۡعَثُونَ 144 ۞ فَنَبَذۡنَٰهُ بِٱلۡعَرَآءِ وَهُوَ سَقِيمࣱ 145 وَأَنۢبَتۡنَا عَلَيۡهِ شَجَرَةࣰ مِّن يَقۡطِينࣲ 146 وَأَرۡسَلۡنَٰهُ إِلَىٰ مِاْئَةِ أَلۡفٍ أَوۡ يَزِيدُونَ 147 فَـَٔامَنُواْ فَمَتَّعۡنَٰهُمۡ إِلَىٰ حِينࣲ 148

Read and listen in the surah →

Hadith: Jami' at-Tirmidhi 3505

💬 What did you learn?

Talk about these together. There is no right or wrong answer.

  • Yunus admitted his mistake to Allah. Why is it brave to say "I was wrong"?
  • Even in the darkest place, Allah heard Yunus. Can Allah hear you everywhere?

❓ Questions from the story

Answer out loud, then tap to see the answer. Tick the ones you knew.

  1. Why did Yunus leave his town?

    Show the answer

    He was upset because the people would not listen

  2. What swallowed Yunus?

    Show the answer

    A huge fish

  3. What were the three darknesses?

    Show the answer

    Night, the sea and the fish's belly

  4. What did Allah grow to shade Yunus?

    Show the answer

    A gourd plant

✂️ Things to do

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