Yunus (Jonah)Dhul-Nun (Companion of the Whale)

Also known as: Jonah, Dhul-Nun (The One of the Whale), Sahib al-Hut (Companion of the Whale)

Nation / People

The people of Nineveh (Naynawa) in ancient Iraq

Period

Approximately 8th century BCE; the Assyrian period

Lifespan

Not specified

Burial Place

Mosul (ancient Nineveh) in Iraq, where a mosque bore his name until modern times

Message

One must not act on one's own initiative without divine permission even when feeling frustrated. Sincere repentance, even in extreme circumstances, is always accepted by Allah.

Lineage

متى

Matta

Father

يونس

Yunus (Jonah)

Prophet (peace be upon him)

Family

Family members named in the Quran and authentic Sunnah.

Father

متى

Matta (Amittai)

The Quran calls Yunus "Dhun-Nun" and "Sahib al-Hut" but does not name his father. Classical exegesis (Ibn Kathir, al-Tabari, based on Isra'iliyyat) names him Matta ibn Matta or simply Matta, corresponding to the Biblical Amittai (Jonah 1:1). His name in the Quran is Yunus ibn Matta – confirmed in the hadith transmitted by Ibn Abbas.

Key Miracles

Swallowed by a great whale and emerging alive after a period inside it
The whale did not digest him, preserved by the command of Allah
His supplication from within the whale: 'There is no deity except You; exalted are You. Indeed, I have been of the wrongdoers'
Upon his emergence, a gourd tree (yaqtin) was caused to grow over him to shelter him
His entire people of 100,000+ believed after his return, a unique occurrence

Key Stories

Preached to the people of Nineveh who rejected him
Left his people without permission from Allah before the command to leave was given
Boarded a ship; when lots were cast to identify who should be thrown overboard, his name was drawn
He entered the sea and was swallowed by a whale
His prayer from within the whale's belly
Spat out onto a barren shore, then sheltered by the gourd tree
Sent back to Nineveh; his entire people, 100,000 or more, believed - the only recorded instance of an entire city accepting a Prophet

Mentioned in the Quran

Surah Yunus (10:98)Surah al-Anbiya (21:87-88)Surah al-Saffat (37:139-148)Surah al-Qalam (68:48-50)

Special Characteristics

The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said: 'No Muslim calls upon Allah with this supplication, for any matter whatsoever, except that Allah responds to him.' His dua from within the whale (Dua Dhul-Nun) is among the most powerful supplications in Islam. He is one of the few Prophets whose people all believed.

Family

Family members named in the Quran and authentic Sunnah.

Father

متى

Matta (Amittai)

Key Miracles

Swallowed by a great whale and emerging alive after a period inside it

The whale did not digest him, preserved by the command of Allah

His supplication from within the whale: 'There is no deity except You; exalted are You. Indeed, I have been of the wrongdoers'

Upon his emergence, a gourd tree (yaqtin) was caused to grow over him to shelter him

His entire people of 100,000+ believed after his return, a unique occurrence

Key Stories

Preached to the people of Nineveh who rejected him

Left his people without permission from Allah before the command to leave was given

Boarded a ship; when lots were cast to identify who should be thrown overboard, his name was drawn

He entered the sea and was swallowed by a whale

His prayer from within the whale's belly

Spat out onto a barren shore, then sheltered by the gourd tree

Sent back to Nineveh; his entire people, 100,000 or more, believed - the only recorded instance of an entire city accepting a Prophet