“And had he not been of those who exalt Allah, he would have remained inside its belly until the Day they are resurrected.” [Quran, 37:143-144]
“And had he not been of those who exalt Allah, he would have remained inside its belly until the Day they are resurrected.” [Quran, 37:143-144]
The life and story of Prophet Yunus remain one of the most powerful in helping us understand the notions of patience, vulnerability, and faith – his trials and faith in Allah should stand as an inspiring reminder to us all on how to truly worship Allah alone.
The vulnerability of letting our emotions get to us, the fear of isolation and death, and the power of a simple but truly heartfelt prayer to Allah are all a part of the story of Prophet Yunus – so here are five lessons from the Holy Quran on the story of Prophet Yunus:
1. Don’t let anger consume you
“And [mention] the man of the fish, when he went off in anger and thought that We would not decree [anything] upon him.” [Quran, 21:87]
At the end of the day, we are all human – meaning that it is often easy to succumb to our emotions and frustrations. Here, the Holy Quran reminds us of the dangers of letting our anger consume us, and that for every rash action taken out of anger there will always be consequences.
2. No matter the darkness, always pray for the light of Allah
“And he called out within the darkness, ‘There is no deity except You; exalted are You. Indeed, I have been of the wrongdoers.'” [Quran, 21:87]
Despite our mistakes and shortcomings, part of what makes the example of Prophet Yunus so empowering to us today is the vulnerability and purity of his heart – the Quran tells us that despite our mistakes and past deeds, it is never too late to sit down and pray for forgiveness and the mercy of Allah as Prophet Yunus did.
3. Allah is always merciful
“So We responded to him and saved him from the distress. And thus do We save the believers.” [Quran, 21:88]
Here the Quran reminds us of Allah’s indescribable mercy – with the story of Prophet Yunus, we are taught that we must remain faithful to the notion that with the understanding of tawheed comes the understanding that Allah’s mercy encompasses all. We must never give up on our faith in Allah’s mercy.
4. The believers are always protected by Allah
“And had he not been of those who exalt Allah, he would have remained inside its belly until the Day they are resurrected.” [Quran, 37:143-144]
The Quran explains through the story of Prophet Yunus that if Allah had Willed, He could have left Prophet Yunus where he was until the Day of Judgement. Whatever the outcome of our lives, we must remember that everything in its entirety is Willed and Created by Allah – and that we must remain faithful in our trust in Allah no matter what.
5. Patience is an important part of our faith as Muslims
“But We threw him onto the open shore while he was ill. And We caused to grow over him a gourd vine. And We sent him to [his people of] a hundred thousand or more. And they believed, so We gave them enjoyment [of life] for a time.” [Quran, 87:145- 37:148]
Remembering the emotions and feelings of Prophet Yunus when he felt the despair and fear of remaining trapped for the rest of his life, we can empathize and understand just how important our faith in Allah is – Prophet Yunus teaches us that patience truly is an essential act of worship. By remaining patient and steadfast in our faith in Allah, inshallah we can all learn to become better Muslims in our journey towards becoming better believers.
