Dalil
العربية

Tarikh (al-Tabari) 192

The story of Jonah (peace and blessings be upon him)

قِصَّةُ يُونُسَ  ، عَلَيْهِ الصَّلَاةُ وَالسَّلَامُ ما نزل في يونس من القرآن قَالَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى فِي سُورَةِ " يُونُسَ " فَلَوْلَا كَانَتْ قَرْيَةٌ آمَنَتْ فَنَفَعَهَا إِيمَانُهَا إِلَّا قَوْمَ يُونُسَ لَمَّا آمَنُوا كَشَفْنَا عَنْهُمْ عَذَابَ الْخِزْيِ فِي الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَمَتَّعْنَاهُمْ إِلَى حِينٍ [ يُونُسَ: 98 ]. وَقَالَ تَعَالَى فِي سُورَةِ " الْأَنْبِيَاءِ ": وَذَا النُّونِ إِذْ ذَهَبَ مُغَاضِبًا فَظَنَّ أَنْ لَنْ نَقْدِرَ عَلَيْهِ فَنَادَى فِي الظُّلُمَاتِ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ سُبْحَانَكَ إِنِّي كُنْتُ مِنَ الظَّالِمِينَ فَاسْتَجَبْنَا لَهُ وَنَجَّيْنَاهُ مِنَ الْغَمِّ وَكَذَلِكَ نُنْجِي الْمُؤْمِنِينَ [ الْأَنْبِيَاءِ: 87، 88 ]. وَقَالَ تَعَالَى فِي سُورَةِ " الصَّافَّاتِ " وَإِنَّ يُونُسَ لَمِنَ الْمُرْسَلِينَ إِذْ أَبَقَ إِلَى الْفُلْكِ الْمَشْحُونِ فَسَاهَمَ فَكَانَ مِنَ الْمُدْحَضِينَ فَالْتَقَمَهُ الْحُوتُ وَهُوَ مُلِيمٌ فَلَوْلَا أَنَّهُ كَانَ مِنَ الْمُسَبِّحِينَ لَلَبِثَ فِي بَطْنِهِ إِلَى يَوْمِ يُبْعَثُونَ فَنَبَذْنَاهُ بِالْعَرَاءِ وَهُوَ سَقِيمٌ وَأَنْبَتْنَا عَلَيْهِ شَجَرَةً مِنْ يَقْطِينٍ وَأَرْسَلْنَاهُ إِلَى مِائَةِ أَلْفٍ أَوْ يَزِيدُونَ فَآمَنُوا فَمَتَّعْنَاهُمْ إِلَى حِينٍ [ الصَّافَّاتِ: 139 - 148 ]. وَقَالَ تَعَالَى فِي سُورَةِ " نُونْ ": فَاصْبِرْ لِحُكْمِ رَبِّكَ وَلَا تَكُنْ كَصَاحِبِ الْحُوتِ إِذْ نَادَى وَهُوَ مَكْظُومٌ لَوْلَا أَنْ تَدَارَكَهُ نِعْمَةٌ مِنْ رَبِّهِ لَنُبِذَ بِالْعَرَاءِ وَهُوَ مَذْمُومٌ فَاجْتَبَاهُ رَبُّهُ فَجَعَلَهُ مِنَ الصَّالِحِينَ [ الْقَلَمِ: 48 - 50 ]. نسبه وبعثته قَالَ أَهْلُ التَّفْسِيرِ: بَعَثَ اللَّهُ يُونُسَ، عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ، إِلَى أَهْلِ نِينَوَى ; مِنْ أَرْضِ الْمَوْصِلِ. وَهُوَ يُونُسُ بْنُ مَتَّى، وَمَتَّى أَبُوهُ، وَهُوَ مِنْ وَلَدِ بِنْيَامِينَ بْنِ يَعْقُوبَ. وَقِيلَ: لَمْ يُنْسَبْ أَحَدٌ مِنَ الْأَنْبِيَاءِ إِلَى أُمِّهِ إِلَّا عِيسَى بْنَ مَرْيَمَ وَيُونُسَ بْنَ مَتَّى، وَهِيَ أُمُّهُ. وَكَانَ يُونُسُ بَعْدَ سُلَيْمَانَ. وَبَعْضُ الْعُلَمَاءِ تَجْعَلُ بَيْنَهُمَا أَيُّوبَ، وَتَقْدِيمُ أَيُّوبَ عَلَى مَا اخْتَرْنَا أَوْضَحُ. دعوته إلى قومه وتكذيبهم ثم إيمانهم كَانَ قَوْمُهُ يَعْبُدُونَ الْأَصْنَامَ، فَبَعَثَهُ اللَّهُ إِلَيْهِمْ بِالنَّهْيِ عَنْ عِبَادَتِهَا وَالْأَمْرِ بِالتَّوْحِيدِ، فَأَقَامَ فِيهَا ثَلَاثًا وَثَلَاثِينَ سَنَةً يَدْعُوهُمْ، فَلَمْ يُؤْمِنْ غَيْرُ رَجُلَيْنِ، فَلَمَّا أَيِسَ مِنْ إِيمَانِهِمْ دَعَا عَلَيْهِمْ، فَقِيلَ لَهُ: مَا أَسْرَعَ مَا دَعَوْتَ عَلَى عِبَادِي ! ارْجِعْ إِلَيْهِمْ فَادْعُهُمْ أَرْبَعِينَ يَوْمًا، فَدَعَاهُمْ سَبْعَةً وَثَلَاثِينَ يَوْمًا، فَلَمْ يُجِيبُوهُ فَقَالَ لَهُمْ: إِنَّ الْعَذَابَ يَأْتِيكُمْ إِلَى ثَلَاثَةِ أَيَّامٍ، وَآيَةُ ذَلِكَ أَلْوَانُكُمْ تَتَغَيَّرُ، فَلَمَّا أَصْبَحُوا تَغَيَّرَتْ أَلْوَانُهُمْ، فَقَالُوا: قَدْ نَزَلَ بِكُمْ مَا قَالَ يُونُسُ وَلَمْ نُجَرِّبْ عَلَيْهِ كَذِبًا فَانْظُرُوا فَإِنْ بَاتَ فِيكُمْ فَأْمَنُوا مِنَ الْعَذَابِ، وَإِنْ لَمْ يَبِتْ فَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّ الْعَذَابَ يُصَبِّحُكُمْ. فَلَمَّا كَانَتْ لَيْلَةُ الْأَرْبَعِينَ أَيْقَنَ يُونُسُ بِنُزُولِ الْعَذَابِ، فَخَرَجَ مِنْ بَيْنِ أَظْهُرِهِمْ. فَلَمَّا كَانَ الْغَدُ تَغَشَّاهُمُ الْعَذَابُ فَوْقَ رُءُوسِهِمْ، خَرَجَ عَلَيْهِمْ غَيْمٌ أَسْوَدُ هَائِلٌ يُدَخِّنُ دُخَانًا شَدِيدًا، ثُمَّ نَزَلَ إِلَى الْمَدِينَةِ فَاسْوَدَّتْ مِنْهُ سُطُوحُهُمْ، فَلَمَّا رَأَوْا ذَلِكَ أَيْقَنُوا بِالْهَلَاكِ، فَطَلَبُوا يُونُسَ فَلَمْ يَجِدُوهُ، فَأَلْهَمَهُمُ اللَّهُ التَّوْبَةَ، فَأَخْلَصُوا النِّيَّةَ فِي ذَلِكَ وَقَصَدُوا شَيْخًا وَقَالُوا لَهُ: قَدْ نَزَلَ بِنَا مَا تَرَى فَمَا نَفْعَلُ ؟ فَقَالَ: آمِنُوا بِاللَّهِ وَتُوبُوا وَقُولُوا: يَا حَيُّ يَا قَيُّومُ، يَا حَيُّ حِينَ لَا حَيَّ، يَا حَيُّ مُحْيِي الْمَوْتَى، يَا حَيُّ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ. فَخَرَجُوا مِنَ الْقَرْيَةِ إِلَى مَكَانٍ رَفِيعٍ فِي بِرَازٍ مِنَ الْأَرْضِ، وَفَرَّقُوا بَيْنَ كُلِّ دَابَّةِ وَوَلَدِهَا، ثُمَّ عَجُّوا إِلَى اللَّهِ وَاسْتَقَالُوهُ وَرَدُّوا الْمَظَالِمَ جَمِيعًا حَتَّى إِنْ كَانَ أَحَدُهُمْ لَيَقْلَعُ الْحَجَرَ مِنْ بِنَائِهِ فَيَرُدُّهُ إِلَى صَاحِبِهِ. فَكَشَفَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمُ الْعَذَابَ، وَكَانَ يَوْمَ عَاشُورَاءَ يَوْمَ الْأَرْبِعَاءِ، وَقِيلَ: لِلنِّصْفِ مِنْ شَوَّالَ يَوْمَ الْأَرْبِعَاءِ. رفع العذاب الأخروي عن قوم يونس عليه السلام وَقَدِ اخْتَلَفَ الْمُفَسِّرُونَ ; هَلْ يَنْفَعُهُمْ هَذَا الْإِيمَانُ فِي الدَّارِ الْآخِرَةِ، فَيُنْقِذُهُمْ مِنَ الْعَذَابِ الْأُخْرَوِيِّ، كَمَا أَنْقَذَهُمْ مِنَ الْعَذَابِ الدُّنْيَوِيِّ ؟ عَلَى قَوْلَيْنِ، الْأَظْهَرُ مِنَ السِّيَاقِ: نَعَمْ إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ. وَاللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ. كَمَا قَالَ تَعَالَى: لَمَّا آمَنُوا وَقَالَ تَعَالَى: وَأَرْسَلْنَاهُ إِلَى مِائَةِ أَلْفٍ أَوْ يَزِيدُونَ فَآمَنُوا فَمَتَّعْنَاهُمْ إِلَى حِينٍ وَهَذَا الْمَتَاعُ إِلَى حِينٍ لَا يَنْفِي أَنْ يَكُونَ مَعَهُ غَيْرُهُ مِنْ رَفْعِ الْعَذَابِ الْأُخْرَوِيِّ. وَاللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ. عدد قوم يونس عليه السلام الذين أرسل إليهم وَقَدْ كَانُوا مِائَةَ أَلْفٍ لَا مَحَالَةَ. وَاخْتَلَفُوا فِي الزِّيَادَةِ ; فَعَنْ مَكْحُولٍ: عَشَرَةُ آلَافٍ. وَرَوَى التِّرْمِذِيُّ بسنده عن أُبَيُّ بْنُ كَعْبٍ أَنَّهُ سَأَلَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ عَنْ قَوْلِهِ وَأَرْسَلْنَاهُ إِلَى مِائَةِ أَلْفٍ أَوْ يَزِيدُونَ قَالَ: يَزِيدُونَ عِشْرِينَ أَلْفًا. فَلَوْلَا هَذَا الرَّجُلُ الْمُبْهَمُ لَكَانَ هَذَا الْحَدِيثُ فَاصِلًا فِي هَذَا الْبَابِ. وَعَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ: كَانُوا مِائَةَ أَلْفٍ وَثَلَاثِينَ أَلْفًا. وَعَنْهُ، وَبِضْعَةً وَثَلَاثِينَ أَلْفًا. وَعَنْهُ، وَبِضْعَةً وَأَرْبَعِينَ أَلْفًا. وَقَالَ سَعِيدُ بْنُ جُبَيْرٍ كَانُوا مِائَةَ أَلْفٍ وَسَبْعِينَ أَلْفًا. إلقاء يونس في البحر والتقام الحوت له وَاخْتَلَفُوا ; هَلْ كَانَ إِرْسَالُهُ إِلَيْهِمْ قَبْلَ الْحُوتِ أَوْ بَعْدَهُ، أَوْ هُمَا أُمَّتَانِ ؟ عَلَى ثَلَاثَةِ أَقْوَالٍ، هِيَ مَبْسُوطَةٌ فِي التَّفْسِيرِ. وَالْمَقْصُودُ أَنَّهُ، عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ، لَمَّا ذَهَبَ مُغَاضِبًا بِسَبَبِ قَوْمِهِ، رَكِبَ سَفِينَةً فِي الْبَحْرِ، فَلَجَّتْ بِهِمْ وَاضْطَرَبَتْ، وَمَاجَتْ بِهِمْ وَثَقُلَتْ بِمَا فِيهَا، وَكَادُوا يَغْرَقُونَ، عَلَى مَا ذَكَرَهُ الْمُفَسِّرُونَ، قَالُوا: فَاشْتَوَرُوا فِيمَا بَيْنَهُمْ عَلَى أَنْ يَقْتَرِعُوا، فَمَنْ وَقَعَتْ عَلَيْهِ الْقُرْعَةُ أَلْقَوْهُ مِنَ السَّفِينَةِ ; لِيَتَخَفَّفُوا مِنْهُ، فَلَمَّا اقْتَرَعُوا وَقَعَتِ الْقُرْعَةُ عَلَى نَبِيِّ اللَّهِ يُونُسَ، فَلَمْ يَسْمَحُوا بِهِ، فَأَعَادُوهَا ثَانِيَةً فَوَقَعَتْ عَلَيْهِ أَيْضًا، فَشَمَّرَ لِيَخْلَعَ ثِيَابَهُ وَيُلْقِيَ بِنَفْسِهِ، فَأَبَوْا عَلَيْهِ ذَلِكَ، ثُمَّ أَعَادُوا الْقُرْعَةَ ثَالِثَةً فَوَقَعَتْ عَلَيْهِ أَيْضًا ; لِمَا يُرِيدُهُ اللَّهُ بِهِ مِنَ الْأَمْرِ الْعَظِيمِ، قَالَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى: وَإِنَّ يُونُسَ لَمِنَ الْمُرْسَلِينَ إِذْ أَبَقَ إِلَى الْفُلْكِ الْمَشْحُونِ فَسَاهَمَ فَكَانَ مِنَ الْمُدْحَضِينَ فَالْتَقَمَهُ الْحُوتُ وَهُوَ مُلِيمٌ وَذَلِكَ أَنَّهُ لَمَّا وَقَعَتْ عَلَيْهِ الْقُرْعَةُ، أُلْقِيَ فِي الْبَحْرِ، وَبَعَثَ اللَّهُ، عَزَّ وَجَلَّ، حُوتًا عَظِيمًا مِنَ الْبَحْرِ الْأَخْضَرِ فَالْتَقَمَهُ، وَأَمَرَهُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى: أَنْ لَا تَأْكُلَ لَهُ لَحْمًا، وَلَا تُهَشِّمَ لَهُ عَظْمًا، فَلَيْسَ لَكَ بِرِزْقٍ، فَأَخْذَهُ فَطَافَ بِهِ الْبِحَارَ كُلَّهَا. وَقِيلَ: إِنَّهُ ابْتَلَعَ ذَلِكَ الْحُوتَ حُوتٌ آخَرُ أَكْبَرُ مِنْهُ. قَالُوا: وَلَمَّا اسْتَقَرَّ فِي جَوْفِ الْحُوتِ، حَسِبَ أَنَّهُ قَدْ مَاتَ، فَحَرَّكَ جَوَارِحَهُ فَتَحَرَّكَتْ، فَإِذَا هُوَ حَيٌّ، فَخَرَّ لِلَّهِ سَاجِدًا، وَقَالَ: يَا رَبِّ، اتَّخَذْتُ لَكَ مَسْجِدًا لَمْ يَعْبُدْكَ أَحَدٌ فِي مَثَلِهِ. مقدار لبث يونس عليه السلام في بطن الحوت وَقَدِ اخْتَلَفُوا فِي مِقْدَارِ لُبْثِهِ فِي بَطْنِهِ ; فَقَالَ مَجَالِدٌ عَنِ الشَّعْبِيِّ: الْتَقَمَهُ ضُحًى، وَلَفَظَهُ عَشِيَّةً. وَقَالَ قَتَادَةُ: مَكَثَ فِيهِ ثَلَاثًا. وَقَالَ جَعْفَرٌ الصَّادِقُ سَبْعَةَ أَيَّامٍ. وَيَشْهَدُ لَهُ شِعْرُ أُمَيَّةَ بْنِ أَبِي الصَّلْتِ: وَأَنْتَ بِفَضْلٍ مِنْكَ نَجَّيْتَ يُوُنُسَا وَقَدْ بَاتَ فِي أَضْعَافِ حُوتٍ لَيَالِيَا وَقَالَ سَعِيدُ بْنُ أَبِي الْحَسَنِ، وَأَبُو مَالِكٍ: مَكَثَ فِي جَوْفِهِ أَرْبَعِينَ يَوْمًا. وَاللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ كَمْ مِقْدَارُ مَا لَبِثَ فِيهِ. تسبيح يونس عليه السلام في بطن الحوت وَلَمَّا جُعِلَ الْحُوتُ يَطُوفُ بِهِ فِي قَرَارِ الْبِحَارِ اللُّجِّيَّةِ، وَيَقْتَحِمُ بِهِ لُجَجَ الْمَوْجِ الْأُجَاجِيِّ، فَسَمِعَ تَسْبِيحَ الْحِيتَانِ لِلرَّحْمَنِ، وَحَتَّى سَمِعَ تَسْبِيحَ الْحَصَى لِفَالِقِ الْحَبِّ وَالنَّوَى، وَرَبِّ السَّمَاوَاتِ السَّبْعِ، وَالْأَرْضِينَ السَّبْعِ، وَمَا بَيْنَهَا، وَمَا تَحْتَ الثَّرَى، فَعِنْدَ ذَلِكَ وَهُنَالِكَ قَالَ مَا قَالَ بِلِسَانِ الْحَالِ وَالْمَقَالِ، كَمَا أَخْبَرَ عَنْهُ ذُو الْعِزَّةِ وَالْجَلَالِ، الَّذِي يَعْلَمُ السِّرَّ وَالنَّجْوَى، وَيَكْشِفُ الضُّرَّ وَالْبَلْوَى، سَامِعُ الْأَصْوَاتِ وَإِنْ ضَعُفَتْ، وَعَالِمُ الْخِفْيَاتِ وَإِنْ دَقَّتْ، وَمُجِيبُ الدَّعَوَاتِ وَإِنْ عَظُمَتْ، حَيْثُ قَالَ فِي كِتَابِهِ الْمُبِينِ، الْمُنَزَّلِ عَلَى رَسُولِهِ الْأَمِينِ، وَهُوَ أَصْدَقُ الْقَائِلِينَ، وَرَبُّ الْعَالَمِينَ، وَإِلَهُ الْمُرْسَلِينَ: وَذَا النُّونِ إِذْ ذَهَبَ مُغَاضِبًا فَظَنَّ أَنْ لَنْ نَقْدِرَ عَلَيْهِ فَنَادَى فِي الظُّلُمَاتِ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ سُبْحَانَكَ إِنِّي كُنْتُ مِنَ الظَّالِمِينَ فَاسْتَجَبْنَا لَهُ وَنَجَّيْنَاهُ مِنَ الْغَمِّ وَكَذَلِكَ نُنْجِي الْمُؤْمِنِينَ. فَظَنَّ أَنْ لَنْ نَقْدِرَ عَلَيْهِ أَيْ ; نُضَيِّقَ. وَقِيلَ: مَعْنَاهُ نُقَدِّرُ، مِنَ التَّقْدِيرِ. وَهِيَ لُغَةٌ مَشْهُورَةٌ: قَدَرَ، وَقَدَّرَ. كَمَا قَالَ الشَّاعِرُ فَلَا عَائِدٌ ذَاكَ الزَّمَانُ الَّذِي مَضَى     تَبَارَكْتَ مَا تُقَدِّرْ يَكُنْ فَلَكَ الْأَمْرُ فَنَادَى فِي الظُّلُمَاتِ قَالَ ابْنُ مَسْعُودٍ، وَابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ، وَعَمْرُو بْنُ مَيْمُونٍ، وَسَعِيدُ بْنُ جُبَيْرٍ، وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ كَعْبٍ، وَالْحَسَنُ، وَقَتَادَةُ، وَالضَّحَّاكُ: ظُلْمَةُ بَطْنِ الْحُوتِ، وَظُلْمَةُ الْبَحْرِ، وَظُلْمَةُ اللَّيْلِ. وَقَالَ سَالِمُ بْنُ أَبِي الْجَعْدِ: ابْتَلَعَ الْحُوتَ حُوتٌ آخَرُ، فَصَارَ ظُلْمَةُ الْحُوتَيْنِ مَعَ ظُلْمَةِ الْبَحْرِ. وَقَوْلُهُ تَعَالَى: فَلَوْلَا أَنَّهُ كَانَ مِنَ الْمُسَبِّحِينَ لَلَبِثَ فِي بَطْنِهِ إِلَى يَوْمِ يُبْعَثُونَ قِيلَ: مَعْنَاهُ ; لَوْلَا أَنَّهُ سَبَّحَ اللَّهَ هُنَالِكَ، وَقَالَ مَا قَالَ مِنَ التَّهْلِيلِ وَالتَّسْبِيحِ، وَالِاعْتِرَافِ لِلَّهِ بِالْخُضُوعِ، وَالتَّوْبَةِ إِلَيْهِ، وَالرُّجُوعِ إِلَيْهِ، لَلَبِثَ هُنَالِكَ إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ، وَلَبُعِثَ مِنْ جَوْفِ ذَلِكَ الْحُوتِ. هَذَا مَعْنَى مَا رُوِيَ عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ جُبَيْرٍ فِي إِحْدَى الرِّوَايَتَيْنِ عَنْهُ. وَقِيلَ: مَعْنَاهُ: فَلَوْلَا أَنَّهُ كَانَ مِنْ قَبْلِ أَخْذِ الْحُوتِ لَهُ مِنَ الْمُسَبِّحِينِ أَيِ ; الْمُطِيعِينَ الْمُصَلِّينَ الذَّاكِرِينَ اللَّهَ كَثِيرًا. قَالَهُ الضَّحَّاكُ بْنُ قَيْسٍ، وَابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ، وَأَبُو الْعَالِيَةِ، وَوَهْبُ بْنُ مُنَبِّهٍ، وَسَعِيدُ بْنُ جُبَيْرٍ، وَالضَّحَّاكُ، وَالسُّدِّيُّ، وَعَطَاءُ بْنُ السَّائِبِ، وَالْحَسَنُ الْبَصْرِيُّ، وَقَتَادَةُ، وَغَيْرُ وَاحِدٍ. وَاخْتَارَهُ ابْنُ جَرِيرٍ وَيَشْهَدُ لِهَذَا مَا رَوَاهُ الْإِمَامُ أَحْمَدُ وَبَعْضُ أَهْلِ السُّنَنِ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ لِي: يَا غُلَامُ، إِنِّي مُعَلِّمُكَ كَلِمَاتٍ ; احْفَظِ اللَّهَ يَحْفَظْكَ، احْفَظِ اللَّهَ تَجِدْهُ تُجَاهَكَ، تَعَرَّفْ إِلَى اللَّهِ فِي الرَّخَاءِ يَعْرِفْكَ فِي الشِّدَّةِ وَرَوَى ابْنُ جَرِيرٍ فِي " تَفْسِيرِهِ "، وَالْبَزَّارُ فِي " مَسْنَدِهِ "، مِنْ حَدِيثِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ إِسْحَاقَ، عَمَّنْ حَدَّثَهُ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ رَافِعٍ مَوْلَى أَمِّ سَلَمَةَ، سَمِعْتُ أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ يَقُولُ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ: لَمَّا أَرَادَ اللَّهُ حَبْسَ يُونُسَ فِي بَطْنِ الْحُوتِ، أَوْحَى اللَّهُ إِلَى الْحُوتِ، أَنْ خُذْ وَلَا تَخْدِشْ لَحْمًا، وَلَا تَكْسِرْ عَظْمًا. فَلَمَّا انْتَهَى بِهِ إِلَى أَسْفَلِ الْبَحْرِ، سَمِعَ يُونُسَ حِسًّا، فَقَالَ فِي نَفْسِهِ: مَا هَذَا ؟ فَأَوْحَى اللَّهُ إِلَيْهِ، وَهُوَ فِي بَطْنِ الْحُوتِ: إِنَّ هَذَا تَسْبِيحُ دَوَابِّ الْبَحْرِ قَالَ فَسَبَّحَ وَهُوَ فِي بَطْنِ الْحُوتِ، فَسَمِعَتِ الْمَلَائِكَةُ تَسْبِيحَهُ، فَقَالُوا يَا رَبَّنَا، إِنَّا نَسْمَعُ صَوْتًا ضَعِيفًا بِأَرْضٍ غَرِيبَةٍ. قَالَ ذَلِكَ عَبْدِي يُونُسُ، عَصَانِي فَحَبَسْتُهُ فِي بَطْنِ الْحُوتِ فِي الْبَحْرِ. قَالُوا: الْعَبْدُ الصَّالِحُ الَّذِي كَانَ يَصْعَدُ إِلَيْكَ مِنْهُ فِي كُلِّ يَوْمٍ وَلَيْلَةٍ عَمَلٌ صَالِحٌ ؟ قَالَ: نَعَمْ. قَالَ: فَشَفَعُوا لَهُ عِنْدَ ذَلِكَ، فَأَمَرَ الْحُوتَ فَقَذَفَهُ فِي السَّاحِلِ، كَمَا قَالَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى وَهُوَ سَقِيمٌ دعاء يونس عليه السلام وهو في بطن الحوت وطرحه بالعراء وإنبات القرع عليه قَالَ ابْنُ أَبِي حَاتِمٍ فِي " تَفْسِيرِهِ ": أَنَّ يَزِيدَ الرَّقَاشِيَّ حَدَّثَهُ قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ أَنَسَ بْنَ مَالِكٍ وَلَا أَعْلَمُ إِلَّا أَنَّ أَنَسًا يَرْفَعُ الْحَدِيثَ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ: أَنَّ يُونُسَ النَّبِيَّ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ، حِينَ بَدَا لَهُ أَنْ يَدْعُوَ بِهَذِهِ الْكَلِمَاتِ، وَهُوَ فِي بَطْنِ الْحُوتِ قَالَ: اللَّهُمَّ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ سُبْحَانَكَ إِنِّي كُنْتُ مِنَ الظَّالِمِينَ. فَأَقْبَلَتِ الدَّعْوَةُ تَحِنُّ بِالْعَرْشِ، فَقَالَتِ الْمَلَائِكَةُ: يَا رَبِّ، صَوْتٌ ضَعِيفٌ مَعْرُوفٌ مِنْ بِلَادٍ غَرِيبَةٍ. فَقَالَ: أَمَا تَعْرِفُونَ ذَاكَ ؟ قَالُوا: يَا رَبِّ، وَمَنْ هُوَ ؟ قَالَ: عَبْدِي يُونُسُ. قَالُوا: عَبَدُكَ يُونُسُ الَّذِي لَمْ يَزَلْ يُرْفَعُ لَهُ عَمَلٌ مُتَقَبَّلٌ وَدَعْوَةٌ مُجَابَةٌ ؟ قَالَ: نَعَمْ. قَالُوا: يَا رَبِّ، أَوَلَا تَرْحَمُ مَا كَانَ يَصْنَعُهُ فِي الرَّخَاءِ، فَتُنَجِّيَهُ مِنَ الْبَلَاءِ ؟ قَالَ: بَلَى. فَأَمَرَ الْحُوتَ فَطَرَحَهُ فِي الْعَرَاءِ.. وعن أَبي هُرَيْرَةَ قال: طُرِحَ بِالْعَرَاءِ، وَأَنْبَتَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ الْيَقْطِينَةَ. قُلْنَا: يَا أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ، وَمَا الْيَقْطِينَةُ ؟ قَالَ: شَجَرَةُ الدُّبَّاءِ. قَالَ أَبُو هُرَيْرَةَ: وَهَيَّأَ اللَّهُ لَهُ أُرْوِيَّةً وَحْشِيَّةً تَأْكُلُ مِنْ خَشَاشِ الْأَرْضِ - أَوْ قَالَ: هَشَاشِ الْأَرْضِ - قَالَ: فَتَنْفَشِخُ عَلَيْهِ فَتَرْوِيهِ مِنْ لَبَنِهَا، كُلَّ عَشِيَّةٍ وَبُكْرَةٍ، حَتَّى نَبَتَ. وَقَالَ أُمَيَّةُ بْنُ أَبِي الصَّلْتِ فِي ذَلِكَ بَيْتًا مِنْ شِعْرِهِ فَأَنْبَتَ يَقْطِينًا عَلَيْهِ بِرِحْمَةٍ     مِنَ اللَّهِ لَوْلَا اللَّهُ أُلْفِيَ ضَاحِيَا وَهَذَا غَرِيبٌ أَيْضًا مِنْ هَذَا الْوَجْهِ، وَيَزِيدُ الرَّقَاشِيُّ ضَعِيفٌ، وَلَكِنْ يَتَقَوَّى بِحَدِيثِ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ الْمُتَقَدِّمِ، كَمَا يَتَقَوَّى ذَاكَ بِهَذَا. وَاللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ. وَقَدْ قَالَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى: فَنَبَذْنَاهُ أَيْ ; أَلْقَيْنَاهُ بِالْعَرَاءِ وَهُوَ الْمَكَانُ الْقَفْرُ الَّذِي لَيْسَ فِيهِ شَيْءٌ مِنَ الْأَشْجَارِ، بَلْ هُوَ عَارٍ مِنْهَا وَهُوَ سَقِيمٌ أَيْ ; ضَعِيفُ الْبَدَنِ. قَالَ ابْنُ مَسْعُودٍ: كَهَيْئَةِ الْفَرْخِ، لَيْسَ عَلَيْهِ رِيشٌ. وَقَالَ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ، وَالسُّدِّيُّ، وَابْنُ زَيْدٍ: كَهَيْئَةِ الصَّبِيِّ حِينَ يُولَدُ، وَهُوَ الْمَنْفُوسُ، لَيْسَ عَلَيْهِ شَيْءٌ وَأَنْبَتْنَا عَلَيْهِ شَجَرَةً مِنْ يَقْطِينٍ قَالَ ابْنُ مَسْعُودٍ، وَابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ، وَغَيْرُ وَاحِدٍ: هُوَ الْقَرْعُ. قَالَ بَعْضُ الْعُلَمَاءِ: فِي إِنْبَاتِ الْقَرْعِ عَلَيْهِ حِكَمٌ جَمَّةٌ ; مِنْهَا أَنَّ وَرَقَهُ فِي غَايَةِ النُّعُومَةِ، وَكَثِيرٌ وَظَلِيلٌ، وَلَا يَقْرَبُهُ ذُبَابٌ، وَيُؤْكَلُ ثَمَرُهُ مِنْ أَوَّلِ طُلُوعِهِ إِلَى آخِرِهِ، نِيئًا وَمَطْبُوخًا، وَبِقِشْرِهِ وَبِبِزْرِهِ أَيْضًا، وَفِيهِ نَفْعٌ كَثِيرٌ، وَتَقْوِيَةٌ لِلدِّمَاغِ، وَغَيْرُ ذَلِكَ. وَتَقَدَّمَ كَلَامُ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ فِي تَسْخِيرِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى لَهُ تِلْكَ الْأُرْوِيَّةَ الَّتِي كَانَتْ تُرْضِعُهُ لَبَنَهَا، وَتَرْعَى فِي الْبَرِّيَّةِ، وَتَأْتِيهِ بُكْرَةً وَعَشِيَّةً. وَهَذَا مِنْ رَحْمَةِ اللَّهِ بِهِ، وَنِعْمَتِهِ عَلَيْهِ، وَإِحْسَانِهِ إِلَيْهِ. استجابته سبحانه وتعالى لدعاء يونس عليه السلام ونجاته وَلِهَذَا قَالَ تَعَالَى فَاسْتَجَبْنَا لَهُ وَنَجَّيْنَاهُ مِنَ الْغَمِّ أَيِ ; الْكَرْبِ وَالضِّيقِ الَّذِي كَانَ فِيهِ وَكَذَلِكَ نُنْجِي الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَيْ ; وَهَذَا صَنِيعُنَا بِكُلِّ مُؤْمِنٍ دَعَانَا وَاسْتَجَارَ بِنَا. وَعَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ الْمُسَيَّبِ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ سَعْدَ بْنَ مَالِكٍ وَهُوَ ابْنُ أَبِي وَقَّاصٍ يَقُولُ: سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَقُولُ: اسْمُ اللَّهِ الَّذِي إِذَا دُعِيَ بِهِ أَجَابَ، وَإِذَا سُئِلَ بِهِ أَعْطَى، دَعْوَةُ يُونُسَ بْنِ مَتَّى قَالَ: فَقُلْتُ: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ، هِيَ لِيُونُسَ خَاصَّةً أَمْ لِجَمَاعَةِ الْمُسْلِمِينَ ؟ قَالَ هِيَ لِيُونُسَ خَاصَّةً، وَلِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ عَامَّةً إِذَا دَعَوْا بِهَا، أَلَمْ تَسْمَعْ قَوْلَ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى: فَنَادَى فِي الظُّلُمَاتِ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ سُبْحَانَكَ إِنِّي كُنْتُ مِنَ الظَّالِمِينَ فَاسْتَجَبْنَا لَهُ وَنَجَّيْنَاهُ مِنَ الْغَمِّ وَكَذَلِكَ نُنْجِي الْمُؤْمِنِينَ فَهُوَ شَرْطٌ مِنَ اللَّهِ لِمَنْ دَعَاهُ بِهِ وَعَنْ سَعْدٍ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ: مَنْ دَعَا بِدُعَاءِ يُونُسَ اسْتُجِيبَ لَهُ. قَالَ أَبُو سَعِيدٍ الْأَشَجُّ: يُرِيدُ بِهِ وَكَذَلِكَ نُنْجِي الْمُؤْمِنِينَ. قَالَ الْإِمَامُ أَحْمَدُ: عَنْ سَعْدٍ - وَهُوَ ابْنُ أَبِي وَقَّاصٍ - قَالَ: مَرَرْتُ بِعُثْمَانَ بْنِ عَفَّانَ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ، فَسَلَّمْتُ عَلَيْهِ، فَمَلَأَ عَيْنَيْهِ مِنِّي ثُمَّ لَمْ يَرْدُدْ عَلَيَّ السَّلَامَ، فَأَتَيْتُ عُمَرَ بْنَ الْخَطَّابِ، فَقُلْتُ: يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ هَلْ حَدَثَ فِي الْإِسْلَامِ شَيْءٌ ؟ مَرَّتَيْنِ. قَالَ: لَا، وَمَا ذَاكَ ؟ قُلْتُ: لَا، إِلَّا أَنِّي مَرَرْتُ بِعُثْمَانَ آنِفًا فِي الْمَسْجِدِ، فَسَلَّمْتُ عَلَيْهِ، فَمَلَأَ عَيْنَيْهِ مِنِّي، ثُمَّ لَمْ يَرْدُدْ عَلَيَّ السَّلَامَ. قَالَ: فَأَرْسَلَ عُمَرُ إِلَى عُثْمَانَ فَدَعَاهُ، فَقَالَ: مَا مَنَعَكَ أَنْ لَا تَكُونَ رَدَدْتَ عَلَى أَخِيكَ السَّلَامَ ؟ قَالَ: مَا فَعَلْتُ. قَالَ سَعْدٌ: قُلْتُ: بَلَى. حَتَّى حَلَفَ وَحَلَفْتُ. قَالَ: ثُمَّ إِنْ عُثْمَانَ ذَكَرَ، فَقَالَ: بَلَى، وَأَسْتَغْفِرُ اللَّهَ وَأَتُوبُ إِلَيْهِ، إِنَّكَ مَرَرْتَ بِي آنِفًا، وَأَنَا أُحَدِّثُ نَفْسِي بِكَلِمَةٍ سَمِعْتُهَا مِنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ، لَا وَاللَّهِ، مَا ذَكَرْتُهَا قَطُّ إِلَّا تَغَشَّى بَصَرِي وَقَلْبِي غِشَاوَةٌ. قَالَ سَعْدٌ: فَأَنَا أُنْبِئُكَ بِهَا، إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ ذَكَرَ لَنَا أَوَّلَ دَعْوَةٍ، ثُمَّ جَاءَ أَعْرَابِيٌّ فَشَغَلَهُ، حَتَّى قَامَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَاتَّبَعْتُهُ، فَلَمَّا أَشْفَقْتُ أَنْ يَسْبِقَنِي إِلَى مَنْزِلِهِ، ضَرَبْتُ بِقَدَمِي الْأَرْضَ، فَالْتَفَتَ إِلَيَّ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ، فَقَالَ: مَنْ هَذَا ؟ أَبُو إِسْحَاقَ ؟ قَالَ: قُلْتُ: نَعَمْ، يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ. قَالَ: فَمَهْ؟ قُلْتُ: لَا وَاللَّهِ، إِلَّا أَنَّكَ ذَكَرْتَ لَنَا أَوَّلَ دَعْوَةٍ، ثُمَّ جَاءَ هَذَا الْأَعْرَابِيُّ فَشَغَلَكَ. قَالَ: نَعَمْ، دَعْوَةُ ذِي النُّونِ ; إِذْ هُوَ فِي بَطْنِ الْحُوتِ: لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ سُبْحَانَكَ إِنِّي كُنْتُ مِنَ الظَّالِمِينَ فَإِنَّهُ لَمْ يَدْعُ بِهَا مُسْلِمٌ رَبَّهُ فِي شَيْءٍ قَطُّ إِلَّا اسْتَجَابَ لَهُ

Translation

✧ The story of Jonah (peace and blessings be upon him) What was revealed concerning Jonah in the Qur'an Allah, exalted is He, said in Sūrat Yūnus: "If only there had been a town that believed and its faith benefited it—except the people of Jonah. When they believed, We removed from them the punishment of disgrace in the life of this world and gave them enjoyment for a time" [Yūnus: 98]. And He, exalted is He, said in Sūrat al-Anbiyāʾ: "And Dhū al-Nūn, when he went away in anger and thought that We would never decree upon him. Then he called out in the darknesses: 'There is no god but You; glory be to You. Indeed, I have been of the wrongdoers.' So We responded to him and saved him from distress. And thus do We save the believers" [al-Anbiyāʾ: 87–88]. And He, exalted is He, said in Sūrat al-Ṣāffāt: "And indeed, Jonah was one of the messengers. When he fled to the laden ship. Then he cast lots and was of the losers. Then the whale swallowed him, while he was blameworthy. And had he not been of those who glorify Allah, he would have remained in its belly until the Day they are resurrected. Then We cast him onto the open shore while he was ill. And We caused to grow over him a gourd tree. And We sent him to a hundred thousand or more. And they believed, so We gave them enjoyment for a time" [al-Ṣāffāt: 139–148]. And He, exalted is He, said in Sūrat Nūn: "So be patient for the judgment of your Lord, and do not be like the companion of the whale, when he called out while he was distressed. Had not a favor from his Lord overtaken him, he would have been cast onto the open shore while he was blameworthy. Then his Lord chose him and made him of the righteous" [al-Qalam: 48–50]. His lineage and mission The exegetes said: Allah sent Jonah ﷺ to the people of Nineveh, from the land of Mosul. He is Jonah b. Mattā, and Mattā is his father, and he is of the descendants of Benjamin b. Jacob. It is said: No prophet was attributed to his mother except Jesus b. Mary and Jonah b. Mattā, and she is his mother. Jonah came after Solomon. Some scholars place Job between them, and placing Job before what we have chosen is clearer. His call to his people, their denial, and then their belief His people used to worship idols, so Allah sent him to them with the prohibition of worshiping them and the command of monotheism. He stayed among them for thirty-three years calling them, and no one believed except two men. When he despaired of their belief, he prayed against them. Then it was said to him: How quickly you have prayed against My servants! Return to them and call them for forty days. So he called them for thirty-seven days, and they did not respond. Then he said to them: The punishment will come to you within three days, and the sign of that is that your colors will change. When morning came, their colors changed. They said: What Jonah said has befallen you, and we have never known him to lie. So consider: if he remains among you overnight, then be secure from the punishment; but if he does not remain overnight, then know that the punishment will come upon you in the morning. When it was the fortieth night, Jonah became certain of the descent of the punishment, so he departed from among them. When the next day came, the punishment overshadowed them above their heads. A black, terrifying cloud came out over them, emitting thick smoke, then descended upon the city until their rooftops turned black from it. When they saw that, they became certain of destruction. They sought Jonah but did not find him. Then Allah inspired them to repentance, and they made their intention sincere in that. They went to an old man and said to him: What you see has befallen us, so what should we do? He said: Believe in Allah and repent, and say: "O Ever-Living, O Self-Subsisting; O Living when there is no living; O Living, Reviver of the dead; O Living, there is no god but You." So they went out from the town to an elevated place in open land, and they separated every beast from its young, then they cried out to Allah and sought His pardon, and they returned all wrongfully taken properties, such that one of them would even remove a stone from his building and return it to its owner. So Allah removed the punishment from them. It was the day of ʿĀshūrāʾ, a Wednesday; and it is said: on the middle of Shawwāl, a Wednesday. Removal of the otherworldly punishment from the people of Jonah ﷺ The exegetes differed: does this belief benefit them in the Hereafter, saving them from the otherworldly punishment, just as it saved them from the worldly punishment? There are two views. The more apparent from the context is: yes, if Allah wills. And Allah knows best. As He, exalted is He, said: "When they believed," and He, exalted is He, said: "And We sent him to a hundred thousand or more. And they believed, so We gave them enjoyment for a time." This enjoyment for a time does not negate that along with it there is something else, namely the removal of the otherworldly punishment. And Allah knows best. The number of the people of Jonah ﷺ to whom he was sent They were certainly a hundred thousand. They differed about the increase. From Makḥūl: ten thousand. Al-Tirmidhī narrated with his chain from Ubayy b. Kaʿb that he asked the Messenger of Allah ﷺ about His saying: "And We sent him to a hundred thousand or more." He said: "They exceed by twenty thousand." Were it not for this unnamed narrator, this hadith would be decisive in this matter. From Ibn ʿAbbās: they were a hundred and thirty thousand. From him: and a few over thirty thousand. From him: and a few over forty thousand. Saʿīd b. Jubayr said: they were a hundred and seventy thousand. The casting of Jonah into the sea and the whale's swallowing him They differed: was his sending to them before the whale or after it, or were they two nations? There are three views, which are set out in detail in the exegesis. The point is that he ﷺ, when he went away in anger because of his people, boarded a ship at sea. It became heavy with them and rocked and tossed with them, and it was weighed down by what was in it, and they almost drowned, as the exegetes mentioned. They said: They consulted among themselves to cast lots, and whoever the lot fell upon, they would throw him from the ship to lighten it. When they cast lots, the lot fell upon the Prophet of Allah Jonah, but they were not willing to throw him. They repeated it a second time, and it fell upon him again. So he tucked up his garments to remove his clothes and throw himself in, but they refused to let him do that. Then they repeated the lot a third time, and it fell upon him again, because Allah willed for him a great matter. Allah, exalted is He, said: "And indeed, Jonah was one of the messengers. When he fled to the laden ship. Then he cast lots and was of the losers. Then the whale swallowed him, while he was blameworthy." That is because when the lot fell upon him, he was thrown into the sea, and Allah, mighty and majestic is He, sent a great whale from the green sea, and it swallowed him. Allah, exalted is He, commanded it: "Do not eat his flesh, and do not break his bone, for he is not provision for you." So it took him and circled with him through all the seas. It is said: That whale was swallowed by another whale larger than it. They said: When he settled inside the whale's belly, he thought he had died. He moved his limbs, and they moved, and behold he was alive. So he fell prostrate to Allah, and said: "O Lord, I have taken for You a place of prayer in which no one has worshiped You like it." The duration of Jonah's ﷺ stay in the whale's belly They differed about the length of his stay in its belly. Mujālid said, from al-Shaʿbī: It swallowed him in the forenoon, and cast him out in the evening. Qatāda said: He remained in it for three days. Jaʿfar al-Ṣādiq said: seven days. And the poetry of Umayya b. Abī al-Ṣalt bears witness to that: "And You, by Your grace, saved Jonah, while he had spent nights in the folds of a whale." Saʿīd b. Abī al-Ḥasan and Abū Mālik said: He remained in its belly for forty days. And Allah knows best how long he remained in it. The glorification of Jonah ﷺ in the whale's belly When the whale was made to circle with him in the depths of the fathomless seas, and it plunged with him into the surges of the salty waves, he heard the glorification of the whales to the Most Merciful, and even heard the glorification of the pebbles to the Splitter of the grain and the date-stone, and the Lord of the seven heavens and the seven earths and whatever is between them and whatever is beneath the soil. Then, at that moment and in that place, he said what he said with the tongue of state and speech, as the Possessor of might and majesty, who knows the secret and the private counsel, relieves harm and trial, hears voices however faint, knows hidden things however subtle, and answers prayers however great, told of him, when He said in His clear Book, sent down upon His trustworthy Messenger, and He is the most truthful of speakers, the Lord of the worlds, and the God of the messengers: "And Dhū al-Nūn, when he went away in anger and thought that We would never decree upon him. Then he called out in the darknesses: 'There is no god but You; glory be to You. Indeed, I have been of the wrongdoers.' So We responded to him and saved him from distress. And thus do We save the believers." "And thought that We would never decree upon him," meaning: constrain him. It is said: its meaning is "determine," from taqdīr. It is a well-known usage: qadara and qaddara. As the poet said: "That past time will not return; blessed are You—whatever You determine comes to be, for to You belongs the command." "Then he called out in the darknesses." Ibn Masʿūd, Ibn ʿAbbās, ʿAmr b. Maymūn, Saʿīd b. Jubayr, Muḥammad b. Kaʿb, al-Ḥasan, Qatāda, and al-Ḍaḥḥāk said: the darkness of the whale's belly, the darkness of the sea, and the darkness of the night. Sālim b. Abī al-Jaʿd said: A whale swallowed the whale, so it became the darkness of the two whales together with the darkness of the sea. And His saying, exalted is He: "And had he not been of those who glorify Allah, he would have remained in its belly until the Day they are resurrected." It is said: its meaning is: had he not glorified Allah there, and said what he said of tahlīl and tasbīḥ, and acknowledgment of Allah with humility, and repentance to Him, and returning to Him, he would have remained there until the Day of Resurrection, and would have been resurrected from inside that whale. This is the meaning of what is narrated from Saʿīd b. Jubayr in one of the two narrations from him. Another view: its meaning is: had he not been, before the whale took him, one of those who glorify Allah, that is, of the obedient, praying, remembering Allah much. This was said by al-Ḍaḥḥāk b. Qays, Ibn ʿAbbās, Abū al-ʿĀliya, Wahb b. Munabbih, Saʿīd b. Jubayr, al-Ḍaḥḥāk, al-Suddī, ʿAṭāʾ b. al-Sāʾib, al-Ḥasan al-Baṣrī, Qatāda, and more than one. Ibn Jarīr preferred this view. What supports it is what Imam Aḥmad and some of the Sunan compilers narrated from Ibn ʿAbbās, that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to me: "O boy, I shall teach you some words: preserve Allah and He will preserve you; preserve Allah and you will find Him before you; know Allah in ease and He will know you in hardship." Ibn Jarīr narrated in his Tafsīr and al-Bazzār in his Musnad from the hadith of Muḥammad b. Isḥāq, from someone who narrated to him, from ʿAbd Allāh b. Rāfiʿ, the client of Umm Salama: I heard Abū Hurayra say: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "When Allah willed to confine Jonah in the whale's belly, Allah revealed to the whale: 'Take him and do not scratch his flesh or break his bone.' When it reached the bottom of the sea with him, Jonah heard a sound, and said to himself: 'What is this?' Then Allah revealed to him, while he was in the whale's belly: 'This is the glorification of the sea creatures.'" He said: So he glorified while in the whale's belly, and the angels heard his glorification. They said: "O our Lord, we hear a faint voice in a strange land." He said: "That is My servant Jonah; he disobeyed Me, so I confined him in the whale's belly in the sea." They said: "The righteous servant from whom a righteous deed used to ascend to You every day and night?" He said: "Yes." He said: So they interceded for him then, and He commanded the whale, and it cast him onto the shore, as Allah, exalted is He, said: "while he was ill." The supplication of Jonah ﷺ while in the whale's belly, his being cast onto the open shore, and the growth of the gourd over him Ibn Abī Ḥātim said in his Tafsīr: Yazīd al-Raqqāshī narrated to him, saying: I heard Anas b. Mālik—and I do not know except that Anas traced the hadith back to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ—that Jonah the Prophet ﷺ, when it occurred to him to call with these words while he was in the whale's belly, said: "O Allah, there is no god but You; glory be to You. Indeed, I have been of the wrongdoers." So the supplication approached, yearning toward the Throne, and the angels said: "O Lord, a faint, familiar voice from a strange land." He said: "Do you not recognize it?" They said: "O Lord, who is it?" He said: "My servant Jonah." They said: "Your servant Jonah, whose accepted deed and answered supplication never ceased to ascend for him?" He said: "Yes." They said: "O Lord, will You not show mercy for what he used to do in ease, and save him from affliction?" He said: "Yes." So He commanded the whale, and it cast him onto the open shore. And from Abū Hurayra, he said: He was cast onto the open shore, and Allah caused a gourd plant to grow over him. We said: "O Abū Hurayra, what is the gourd plant?" He said: "The squash tree." Abū Hurayra said: "Allah prepared for him a wild mountain goat that ate from the insects of the earth—or he said: the herbage of the earth—and it would come and let down its milk for him to drink, every evening and morning, until he regained strength." Umayya b. Abī al-Ṣalt said about that a verse of his poetry: "And He caused a gourd to grow over him by mercy from Allah—were it not for Allah, he would have been found exposed." This is also odd from this route, and Yazīd al-Raqqāshī is weak, but it is strengthened by the previous hadith of Abū Hurayra, just as that one is strengthened by this. And Allah knows best. Allah, exalted is He, said: "Then We cast him," meaning: We threw him "onto the open shore," which is the barren place that has no trees, but rather is bare of them, "while he was ill," meaning: weak in body. Ibn Masʿūd said: Like a chick that has no feathers. Ibn ʿAbbās, al-Suddī, and Ibn Zayd said: Like a newborn infant, which has nothing on it. "And We caused to grow over him a gourd tree." Ibn Masʿūd, Ibn ʿAbbās, and others said: It is the squash. Some scholars said: In causing the squash to grow over him there are many wisdoms. Among them: its leaves are extremely soft, abundant, and shady; no flies approach it; its fruit is eaten from its first appearance to its end, raw and cooked, with its peel and its seeds as well; and in it there is much benefit and strengthening for the brain, and other things. The words of Abū Hurayra have already been mentioned about Allah, exalted is He, subjecting for him that wild goat that nursed him with its milk and grazed in the wilderness, and came to him morning and evening. This is from Allah's mercy to him, His favor upon him, and His kindness to him. His response, glorified and exalted is He, to the supplication of Jonah ﷺ and his salvation For this reason He, exalted is He, said: "So We responded to him and saved him from distress," meaning: from the anguish and constriction he was in. "And thus do We save the believers," meaning: this is Our treatment of every believer who calls upon Us and seeks refuge with Us. From Saʿīd b. al-Musayyab, he said: I heard Saʿd b. Mālik—who is Ibn Abī Waqqāṣ—say: I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say: "The name of Allah by which, if He is called upon, He answers, and if He is asked by it, He gives: the supplication of Jonah b. Mattā." He said: I said: "O Messenger of Allah, is it for Jonah specifically or for the community of Muslims generally?" He said: "It is for Jonah specifically, and for the believers generally when they call upon Him with it. Have you not heard the saying of Allah, exalted is He: 'Then he called out in the darknesses: There is no god but You; glory be to You. Indeed, I have been of the wrongdoers. So We responded to him and saved him from distress. And thus do We save the believers'? So it is a condition from Allah for whoever calls upon Him with it." And from Saʿd, he said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "Whoever supplicates with the supplication of Jonah will be answered." Abū Saʿīd al-Ashajj said: He means by it: "And thus do We save the believers." Imam Aḥmad said: From Saʿd—who is Ibn Abī Waqqāṣ—he said: I passed by ʿUthmān b. ʿAffān in the mosque and greeted him, and he filled his eyes with me, then did not return the greeting. So I went to ʿUmar b. al-Khaṭṭāb and said: "O Commander of the Faithful, has something new happened in Islam?" Twice. He said: "No. And what is that?" I said: "No, except that I passed by ʿUthmān a short while ago in the mosque and greeted him, and he filled his eyes with me, then did not return the greeting." He said: So ʿUmar sent for ʿUthmān and summoned him, and said: "What prevented you from returning your brother's greeting?" He said: "I did not do that." Saʿd said: I said: "Yes." Until he swore and I swore. He said: Then ʿUthmān remembered and said: "Yes, and I seek Allah's forgiveness and repent to Him. You passed by me a short while ago while I was speaking to myself about a word I heard from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. No, by Allah, whenever I remember it, a covering comes over my sight and my heart." Saʿd said: "Then I will tell you it. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ mentioned to us the first supplication, then a bedouin came and distracted him, until the Messenger of Allah ﷺ got up, and I followed him. When I feared that he would reach his house before me, I struck the ground with my foot, and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ turned to me and said: 'Who is this? Abū Isḥāq?' I said: 'Yes, O Messenger of Allah.' He said: 'What is it?' I said: 'No, by Allah, except that you mentioned to us the first supplication, then this bedouin came and distracted you.' He said: 'Yes, the supplication of Dhū al-Nūn, when he was in the whale's belly: There is no god but You; glory be to You. Indeed, I have been of the wrongdoers. For no Muslim ever calls upon his Lord with it concerning anything except that He answers him.'"

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