About
The prophet sent to the people of Nineveh. Leaving in anger, he was swallowed by the great fish, and in the darkness called upon Allah; he was delivered, and his people believed — the one town saved by faith after warning.
The name
Dhū al-Nūn — the companion of the fish (21:87, 68:48)
Source: Qur'an
The story, as the Qurʼan tells it
- The beginningA city of a hundred thousand or more.
37:147
وَأَرْسَلْنَٰهُ إِلَىٰ مِا۟ئَةِ أَلْفٍ أَوْ يَزِيدُونَ
- The callIn the darkness he called: 'There is no god but You; glory be to You — I was among the wrongdoers.'
21:87
وَذَا ٱلنُّونِ إِذ ذَّهَبَ مُغَٰضِبًۭا فَظَنَّ أَن لَّن نَّقْدِرَ عَلَيْهِ فَنَادَىٰ فِى ٱلظُّلُمَٰتِ أَن لَّآ إِلَٰهَ إِلَّآ أَنتَ سُبْحَٰنَكَ إِنِّى كُنتُ مِنَ ٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ
- The signHe was cast onto the shore, sick, and a gourd plant was made to grow over him.
37:145-146
۞ فَنَبَذْنَٰهُ بِٱلْعَرَآءِ وَهُوَ سَقِيمٌۭ
- The testHe left in anger, thinking Allah would not constrain him; he fled to the laden ship, drew the lot, and was swallowed by the fish.
21:87
وَذَا ٱلنُّونِ إِذ ذَّهَبَ مُغَٰضِبًۭا فَظَنَّ أَن لَّن نَّقْدِرَ عَلَيْهِ فَنَادَىٰ فِى ٱلظُّلُمَٰتِ أَن لَّآ إِلَٰهَ إِلَّآ أَنتَ سُبْحَٰنَكَ إِنِّى كُنتُ مِنَ ٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ
37:139-142
وَإِنَّ يُونُسَ لَمِنَ ٱلْمُرْسَلِينَ
- The outcomeHis people believed — the one city that believed after the warning — and Allah lifted the punishment from them.
10:98
فَلَوْلَا كَانَتْ قَرْيَةٌ ءَامَنَتْ فَنَفَعَهَآ إِيمَٰنُهَآ إِلَّا قَوْمَ يُونُسَ لَمَّآ ءَامَنُوا۟ كَشَفْنَا عَنْهُمْ عَذَابَ ٱلْخِزْىِ فِى ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنْيَا وَمَتَّعْنَٰهُمْ إِلَىٰ حِينٍۢ
37:147-148
وَأَرْسَلْنَٰهُ إِلَىٰ مِا۟ئَةِ أَلْفٍ أَوْ يَزِيدُونَ
The lesson'Do not be like the companion of the fish' — never give up on a people, and never doubt that Allah answers the one who calls in the dark. 68:48-50
فَٱصْبِرْ لِحُكْمِ رَبِّكَ وَلَا تَكُن كَصَاحِبِ ٱلْحُوتِ إِذْ نَادَىٰ وَهُوَ مَكْظُومٌۭ
21:88
فَٱسْتَجَبْنَا لَهُۥ وَنَجَّيْنَٰهُ مِنَ ٱلْغَمِّ ۚ وَكَذَٰلِكَ نُۨجِى ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ
Duʿāʾ — in their own words
Yūnus in the belly of the fish · 21:87لَّآ إِلَٰهَ إِلَّآ أَنتَ سُبْحَٰنَكَ إِنِّى كُنتُ مِنَ ٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ
Lā ilāha illā anta subḥānaka innī kuntu mina ẓ-ẓālimīn
There is no god but You; glory be to You. I was among the wrongdoers.
Key appearances
Tap a reference to read the āyah — Arabic with English beneath.