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The Prophet of Islam (SAW)Hazrat Sulaiman (Solomon)

There are many verses about this great apostle in the Qura’n which tell us that he accepted the mistake of injustice and then asked for forgiveness. It is only after the test that God accepted his repentance and forgave him. It is said Verse 87-88 of Surah Anbiya:

“And remember Zun-Nun when he went away angry: he imagined that We had no power over him! But he cried out from the depths of darkness, “There is no God but You and I was indeed wrong.” 88. “So We listened to him; and delivered him from distress, this is how We deliver those who have faith.”

 The question that rises here, “How is possible for Jonah to be unjust after being a prophet and what is the manner of this injustice? On whom did he vent his anger? How can it be supposed that god will subject him to restrictions? Don’t these questions raise a question mark about chastity?

The same meaning has come in the Qura’n in another form. Verses 48 to 50 of Surah Qalam say:

“So wait with patience for the command of your Lord and do not be like the companion of the fish—when he cried out in agony.49. Had not the grace from your Lord reached him, he would indeed have been cast off on the naked shore in disgrace.50. So did his Lord choose him and make him of the company of the righteous.”

This explanation tell us that he was hasty about his decrees when reached the point of fallibility (destruction) because of it had it not been for the mercy of God.

The meaning is repeated in ‘Surah Saffat about his journey on sea in a boat with his people in whom he had to enter the stomach of the fish after drawing lots. It is said, in verses 143 and 144 of Surah Saffat:

“Had he not glorified Us he would certainly have been in the belly till the Day (of resurrection) when they are all raised.”

What was the sin for which he went into the fish’s stomach and said there for some time? Why did he not pray to God?

In short the story of Jonah that has come in three Surahs of the Qura’n (Al Anbiya, AlQalam and Saffat). Doesn’t it raise a question about the purity and chastity of this great apostle? There should be a logical explanation for this.

Answer

It is correct that there are various interpretations of these verses tell us that a sin was committed by this great apostle. The words AzZaalim and Maliim (which means self criticism) explain the admonishment of a deed which is done by others. When the Messenger was asked about the (Safaat 143 And 144) and the explanation that “the order that the apostle gave” he said “This is not about an apostle like Jonah”. (Alqalam 50) that says, “So his Lord chose him and made him one of the righteous.” is also not for him. These are the explanations that should not be given for any apostle like him.

But, the evidences tell us that these deeds are nothing but aberrations (Tarki aula) because these verses are about Jonah and they tell us about the special favors that God bestowed on him, In verse 66 of Surah Anam God has given preference to the great apostle over all others. So he has given special favors to great apostles like Ibrahim, Noah and Jesus etc. This can be seen in verse 163 of Surah Nisaa that says:

“Verily We have revealed to you that which We have revealed to Noah and the messengers after him; and We have revealed to Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, Jesus, Job, Aaron and the Tribes, and Solomon and We have bestowed the Psalms (Zabur) on David.”

So how can this be an oversight, aberration or Tarki Aula? There are various doubts about it and it is possible that each be specific about one of them and not collective and is the answer or proof about this Tarki aula.

He was hasty about leaving his people when he could have persevered. Or he was hasty in enjoining them or his hastiness in leaving his people when he should have tarried till the time he became truly convinced of the futility of preach to them.

It is no secret that none of these deeds could be taken to be a sin but it would have been better if he had not done these deeds. It is for this that he was subject of admonishment and punishment. To be unjust and then be subject to the wrath of god is in the context that the good deeds of the righteous are the aberration of the close ones. This has been explained about the oversight by Adam and so their idea that God will never put restrictions on him will also be counted as Tarki aula. This is because apostles and the close ones of god are always afraid of him and keeping pleading for mercy from His chastisement.

The explanation of “Mughaziban” is very clear or that he was wrathful about the deeds of his people and not on god as some ignorant people have described it to be. It is because it is not acceptable for just the highly placed apostles but for all righteous people for whoever expresses dissatisfaction against the commandment of god expresses disbelief.

So the words “Mughaziban li Rabihi” mean “Li Mughaziban li Ajli Rabihi” or the apostle Jonah was angry on behalf of God on the result of the deeds of his people.

The word “ Zulm “ here means a continuous existence in darkness ( the darkness of the stomach of the fish, the darkness of the ocean and the darkness of the night) which was the cause of his pleadings for forgiveness. So he said, “there is no God but You, glory to you, I was indeed among the sinners.”

We should also reflect on the traditions related to this incident. Imam Ali Reza said:

“When Jonah was alone in the stomach of the fish, he worshipped God with the core of his existence. And he considered himself to be one of the unjust. It is because such a manner of prayer had not been done by anyone earlier. He said:

 “You are God and all praise to you and I am one among the unjust.” or I had forgone the kind of worship that I did in the stomach of the fish. God then said, Surah Saffat 143 Ands 144.”

“Had he not glorified Us he would certainly have been in the belly till the Day (of resurrection) when they are all raised.”   (1)

But the verses related to him (Jonah) are subject to the question about the kind of fish they speak and how is it possible that a human being without food and sustenance can existence within it and that too in a fish that processes its food in the stomach? There are other questions too. Anyway such question are beyond the purview of our discussion about their; chastity and infallibility. If some wants the answer to such question then he should consult part 13, 19, and 24 of Tafsir Amthal which is related to discussion about the verses on Jonah.


 

1. TAFSIR Nurus Saqlain vol.3 page 450 hadith 137

 

The Prophet of Islam (SAW)Hazrat Sulaiman (Solomon)
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