Part of Stories of the Prophets (series completed)
· Lesson 4 of 20
Stories of the Prophets | Episode (19) | The story of Yunus, peace be upon him
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Transcript
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Stories of the Prophets,
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Stories of the Prophets,
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peace be upon them.
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May Allah's blessings
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followed by
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peace
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be upon the best of all creation,
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altogether.
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Possessors of resolve,
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their station
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is exalted.
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The Story of Yunus,
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peace be upon him.
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In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
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All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds,
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and peace and blessings
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be upon our Prophet Muhammad,
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and upon his family and Companions,
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altogether.
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To proceed:
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In the land of Iraq,
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and in a place near
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Mosul,
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there was an ancient city
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called Nineveh.
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It had a dense
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population and an advanced
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civilization.
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The people of that city
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were idolaters
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who worshipped idols,
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remained devoted to them,
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committed immoral acts,
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and engaged in them openly.
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So Allah sent to them
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a righteous man from among themselves
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named Yunus Ibn Matta,
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from the lineage of Ya'qub
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Ibn Ishaq Ibn Ibrahim,
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peace be upon them
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all.
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Yunus, peace be upon him, began,
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and called his people
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to the worship of Allah alone,
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without any partner,
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and to cast aside idols and images.
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But his people
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met his call with denial,
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disbelief, and obstinate rejection,
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as was the case with all the other nations
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toward their prophets.
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Yet despite this,
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Yunus, peace be upon him, continued
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calling them for many years,
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without tiring or wearying.
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He was met with
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rejection and threats
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of torment and murder,
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but that did not deter him
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from his goal and his mission.
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After some time,
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when his people proved utterly unyielding
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and refused to respond to him,
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Allah revealed to him
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that torment would come upon them
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after three nights.
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So Yunus, peace be upon him, stood
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among his people
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and warned them of the descent of the torment
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after three nights.
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Then, in the middle
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of that night, he departed from among them
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through his own personal judgment,
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and did not wait
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for permission from his Lord,
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assuming, peace be upon him,
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that he was justified in leaving
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before the torment descended
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upon his people,
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and that Allah would not constrain him
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for departing after he had
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delivered the message with which
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Allah had charged him.
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So he set out toward the sea.
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As for the people of Yunus, peace be upon him,
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in the land of Nineveh,
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when morning broke upon them,
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the torment began to envelop them;
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they were overshadowed by
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a black cloud
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emitting dense
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black smoke.
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It hung above their heads
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by about a mile;
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the sky grew dark,
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and the smoke descended upon them
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until it engulfed them throughout their city,
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and blackened the roofs
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of their houses.
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When they saw that,
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fear and panic seized them,
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they became certain of their destruction,
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and they realized that Yunus
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did not lie.
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So they sent people to seek him out,
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but they could not find him.
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Then Allah cast into their hearts
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repentance.
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So they went out into the open plain themselves,
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along with their women, their children,
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and their beasts.
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They wore coarse,
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rough sackcloth,
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and they separated every
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mother from her nursing infant,
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and every animal
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from its young.
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Then they cried out in weeping
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to Allah Almighty,
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screaming, beseeching Him,
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and humbling themselves before Him.
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The men and women wept,
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as did the sons and daughters,
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and the cattle,
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the beasts, and the livestock
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raised their cries.
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It was a momentous,
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terrifying hour,
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in which
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the sounds of weeping and wailing blended together
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from men, women,
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children, and beasts.
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Thereupon, Allah Almighty lifted
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the torment from them by His mercy,
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after it had overshadowed them
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and hovered over their heads
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like dark patches of night.
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Thus Allah Almighty lifted from them
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the torment by His mercy,
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after it had overshadowed them
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above their heads
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like patches of dark night.
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And no nation among all nations
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ever had the torment lifted from it
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after witnessing it with their own eyes,
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except for the people of Yunus, peace be upon him.
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Allah Almighty said:
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"Indeed, those against whom
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the word
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of your Lord has come to pass will not believe,
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even if every sign
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comes to them,
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until they see the painful
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torment.
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If only there had been
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a single city that believed
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so its faith profited it—
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except for the people of Yunus:
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when they believed,
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We removed from them
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the disgrace of torment
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in the life of this world."
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"We removed from them
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the disgrace of torment
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in the life of this world."
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As for the Prophet of Allah, Yunus,
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peace be upon him,
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his story was
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that he made his way to the sea.
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He requested the crew
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of a ship to carry him
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along with them aboard their vessel,
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and so they took him aboard.
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But when the ship reached
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the open sea,
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the waters surged and raged violently around them,
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and the ship and everyone on board
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were completely surrounded by danger.
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When the passengers realized
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what was befalling them
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and saw impending doom,
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they said to one another:
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"There is no escape for you
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from that which is descending upon you
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unless you lighten the load
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by casting off some of those aboard the ship;
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for the destruction of a few
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is lesser than the destruction
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of all."
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So they cast lots among themselves,
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intending to throw into the sea whoever's name
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was drawn.
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And the lot fell upon Yunus;
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it was drawn against him, peace be upon him.
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But they could not bring themselves
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to throw him into the sea,
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because of what they had seen
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in him of noble character
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and noble traits,
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so they cast lots a second
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time,
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yet it fell upon him again.
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They were still unwilling to accept that,
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so they cast lots a third
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time,
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and once more, it fell upon him.
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Yunus knew that behind
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this lay a divine decree,
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and he realized his mistake
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in having departed from his people
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before being granted permission to do so.
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Thereupon, peace be upon him, he stood up
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and cast himself
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into the sea.
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The waves immediately subsided,
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and the ship steadied
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with all aboard.
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And while Yunus, peace be upon him,
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was tossing in the sea waters,
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Allah inspired the whale
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to swallow him,
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enclosing him within its belly,
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without consuming his flesh
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or crushing his bones.
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Thus, the whale
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swallowed him by the command of his Lord.
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It served as
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a prison for Yunus, peace be upon him,
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or rather a safe
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sanctuary.
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Inside the belly of the whale,
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Yunus, peace be upon him, thought
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that he had died,
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but when he moved his limbs,
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he found that they moved.
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He fell prostrating before Allah
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and said:
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"My Lord, I have taken for You
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a place of worship where no one has ever
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worshipped You before."
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Yunus remained inside
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the belly of the whale
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as it cleaved through the waves,
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plunging into the ocean depths,
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moving through layers of darkness,
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one atop the other:
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the darkness of the whale's belly,
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enveloped by the darkness
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of the sea, and enveloped by
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the darkness of the night.
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When the whale carried him down
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to the ocean floor,
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Yunus, peace be upon him, heard
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the pebbles and marine creatures
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glorifying Allah.
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He, too, began to glorify Him
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from inside the belly of the whale,
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crying out:
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“And (mention) Dhu'n-Nun, when he went off in anger and deemed that We had no power over him, but he cried out in the darkness, saying: There is no Allah save Thee. Be Thou Glorified! Lo! I have been a wrong-doer.” (21:87)
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"Glory be to You!"
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“And (mention) Dhu'n-Nun, when he went off in anger and deemed that We had no power over him, but he cried out in the darkness, saying: There is no Allah save Thee. Be Thou Glorified! Lo! I have been a wrong-doer.” (21:87)
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Then the angels
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heard his glorification.
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They said, "O our Lord,
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a familiar voice,
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from a familiar servant,
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coming from an unfamiliar place;
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we know not where it is."
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Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, said:
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"That is My servant Yunus."
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The angels said:
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"O our Lord,
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Your servant Yunus,
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from whom righteous deeds
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used to ascend to You
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each and every day?"
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Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, said:
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"Yes."
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Allah Almighty answered
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Yunus's supplication
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and his glorification.
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Had he not been of those who glorified Allah
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within the belly of the whale,
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and among those who glorified Him
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in his life prior to that,
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he would surely have remained in its belly
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until the Day of Judgment.
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Allah Almighty said:
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﴿And [mention] the Man of the Whale,
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when he went off
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in anger
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and thought
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that We would not decree hardship upon him.
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And he called out
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in the depths of darkness:
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'There is no deity
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except You;
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glory be to You!
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Indeed,
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I have been
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of the wrongdoers.'
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So We responded to him
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and saved him
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from the distress.
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And thus
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do We save
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the believers.﴾
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Then Allah commanded the whale
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to cast him onto the open shore,
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and the whale cast him out
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after three nights
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onto the beach,
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sick and emaciated,
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weak and frail,
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like a newly hatched chick
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without any feathers.
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And Allah caused to grow over him
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a plant of gourd—
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which is the pumpkin plant.
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The nature of this plant
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made it uniquely suited
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for someone in the condition
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of Yunus:
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its leaves are broad and soft,
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suitable as bedding and covering,
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gentle,
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exquisitely smooth,
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and flies do not approach it.
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In addition,
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its produce can be eaten raw
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or cooked.
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Allah also provided for him wild beasts
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of the land that grazed from
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the earth,
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then came to him and gave him to drink
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of their milk every morning
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and evening,
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until his body recovered
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and his health was restored.
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After Yunus, peace be upon him, had healed
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from all that had afflicted him
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in the belly of the whale,
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Allah sent him once again
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to his people, after
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informing him of their faith
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and that they were awaiting his return.
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When he arrived among them,
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he found that they had abandoned the worship
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of idols
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and turned to Allah as true monotheists.
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So he resided
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among them as a guide and counselor
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for an appointed period
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of time.
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Allah Almighty said:
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﴿And indeed, Yunus
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was among the messengers,
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when
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“When he fled unto the laden ship,” (37:140)
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he cast lots and was
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among the losers.
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Then the whale swallowed him
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while he was blameworthy.
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And had
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he not been of
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those who glorify Allah,
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he would have remained inside its belly
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until the Day they are resurrected.
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But We cast him onto the open shore
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while he was ill.
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And We caused to grow over him
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a plant
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of gourd.
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And We sent him to [a people of]
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“And We sent him to a hundred thousand (folk) or more” (37:147)
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and they believed, so We gave them enjoyment
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for a time.﴾
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Dear
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respected brothers,
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Yunus is mentioned in the Qur'an
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four times,
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and he is referenced by the titles
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"Companion of the Fish" and "Dhu al-Nun"
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twice.
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His story contains numerous
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lessons and morals,
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among the most significant of which is:
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first, Allah's protection
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of His allies and righteous
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servants, even
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in the midst of their affliction.
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Furthermore, the reproach of Allah Almighty
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toward Yunus, peace be upon him,
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was a gentle reproach;
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for He made the belly of the whale
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a safe haven for him,
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and commanded it neither to break
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a bone of his nor to consume
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his flesh.
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This is a tremendous sign
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demonstrate his honored status
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with Allah, the Exalted and Majestic.
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Second:
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Whoever knows Allah in times of ease,
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Allah will know him in
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times of hardship;
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and whoever is with Allah,
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Allah will be with him.
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Third:
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The virtue of the supplication of Yunus, peace be upon him:
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"There is no deity
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except You, exalted are You!
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Indeed, I have been of
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the wrongdoers."
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It is narrated in the hadith
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on the authority of Sa'd Ibn Abi Waqqas,
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may Allah be pleased with him, who said:
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I heard the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
14:31
say:
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"The supplication of Dhun-Nun
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when he was in the belly of the whale:
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“And (mention) Dhu'n-Nun, when he went off in anger and deemed that We had no power over him, but he cried out in the darkness, saying: There is no Allah save Thee. Be Thou Glorified! Lo! I have been a wrong-doer.” (21:87)
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'Exalted are You!
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“And (mention) Dhu'n-Nun, when he went off in anger and deemed that We had no power over him, but he cried out in the darkness, saying: There is no Allah save Thee. Be Thou Glorified! Lo! I have been a wrong-doer.” (21:87)
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No Muslim ever calls upon his Lord with it
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in any matter whatsoever,
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but that he is answered."
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Fourth:
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A demonstration of the vastness of Allah Almighty's knowledge,
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His hearing, and the greatness of
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His power;
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for He knew the exact whereabouts of His prophet Yunus,
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peace be upon him,
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and heard his supplication, his glorification,
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and his repentance
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while he was immersed in those three layers of darkness.
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And by His Almighty power,
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He preserved his life
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within that perilous depth,
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and restored to his body
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the vigor of life
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after the intense heat of the whale's belly.
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It also demonstrates
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that the entire universe
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is subservient to Allah Almighty;
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He commands it as He wills,
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just as He commanded the whale
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to swallow Yunus and preserve him,
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and then cast him onto the bare shore
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after that.
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Fifth:
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Hastening to beseech
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Allah in times of affliction,
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and the merit of humbling oneself before Him,
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entreating Him through His oneness,
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affirming His absolute perfection,
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and acknowledging one's sins before Him;
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for these are among the greatest means
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of having prayers answered
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and hardships removed.
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Sixth:
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Scholars have deduced from Yunus's casting of lots
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and his participation in the drawing
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the permissibility of
16:05
casting lots.
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Indeed, our Messenger,
16:09
peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
16:11
whenever he intended to set out on a journey,
16:13
would cast lots among his wives,
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and whichever of them
16:17
had her arrow drawn,
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he would take her along with him.
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Seventh:
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The importance of patience
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in calling people to Allah Almighty,
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and that it is among the means
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of attaining Allah's pleasure.
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A caller's heart may feel constrained
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by the actions of people,
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and his endurance of their rejection may wane,
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yet patience
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and restraint are what befit him
16:42
and his mission,
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belonging to the proper etiquette of dawah
16:46
that allows a good impact to reach
16:48
the hearts of those being called.
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Eighth:
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The virtue of supplication,
16:55
and that it repels the divine decree,
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just as happened with the people of Yunus,
16:59
peace be upon him.
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Our Prophet,
17:03
peace be upon him, said:
17:05
"Nothing repels the divine decree
17:07
except supplication."
17:09
It was narrated by al-Tirmidhi.
17:12
Ninth:
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[The virtue of] gourd or pumpkin
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over other
17:18
types of food.
17:20
It is authentically established that the Messenger of Allah,
17:22
peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
17:24
loved gourd
17:26
and would seek it out from around the edges
17:28
of the dish.
17:31
On the authority of Anas Ibn Malik, may Allah be pleased with him:
17:33
A tailor
17:35
invited the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
17:37
to a meal he had prepared.
17:39
Anas said:
17:41
"So I went with the Messenger of Allah,
17:43
peace be upon him,
17:45
to that meal.
17:47
There was presented to the Messenger of Allah,
17:49
peace be upon him,
17:51
barley bread
17:53
and soup containing gourd
17:55
and dried meat.
17:57
The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, began
17:59
eating of that
18:01
gourd and relishing it."
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Anas said:
18:05
"When I saw that,
18:07
I began to place it before him
18:09
and did not eat it myself."
18:11
Anas said:
18:13
"From that day onward,
18:15
I have always loved gourd;
18:17
no meal has ever been prepared for me
18:19
since in which it was possible to include
18:21
gourd
18:23
except that it was put in."
18:25
Agreed upon.
18:27
And the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him,
18:29
used to say:
18:31
"It is the plant of my brother Yunus."
18:33
To this narrative
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there will be a continuation, if Allah wills.
18:39
And Allah knows best.
18:41
All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds.
18:43
And may Allah send peace and blessings
18:45
upon our Prophet Muhammad,
18:47
and upon his family
18:49
and all his Companions.
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You have been listening to Stories of
18:54
the Prophets,
19:00
and may Allah bless him and grant him peace.