Anwar Al-Quran

Verses 98–106

10. Yunus · Jonas

Makkan109 verses

فَلَوْلَا كَانَتْ قَرْيَةٌ ءَامَنَتْ فَنَفَعَهَآ إِيمَٰنُهَآ إِلَّا قَوْمَ يُونُسَ لَمَّآ ءَامَنُوا۟ كَشَفْنَا عَنْهُمْ عَذَابَ ٱلْخِزْىِ فِى ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنْيَا وَمَتَّعْنَٰهُمْ إِلَىٰ حِينٍۢ

10:98Why has there not been any town that might believe, so that its belief might benefit it, except the people of Jonah? When they believed, We removed from them the punishment of disgrace in the life of this world, and We provided for them for a while.

وَلَوْ شَآءَ رَبُّكَ لَءَامَنَ مَن فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ كُلُّهُمْ جَمِيعًا ۚ أَفَأَنتَ تُكْرِهُ ٱلنَّاسَ حَتَّىٰ يَكُونُوا۟ مُؤْمِنِينَ

10:99Had your Lord wished, all those who are on earth would have believed. Would you then force people until they become faithful?1

وَمَا كَانَ لِنَفْسٍ أَن تُؤْمِنَ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِ ٱللَّهِ ۚ وَيَجْعَلُ ٱلرِّجْسَ عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ لَا يَعْقِلُونَ

10:100No soul may have faith except by Allah’s leave, and He lays defilement on those who do not exercise their reason.2

قُلِ ٱنظُرُوا۟ مَاذَا فِى ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ ۚ وَمَا تُغْنِى ٱلْءَايَٰتُ وَٱلنُّذُرُ عَن قَوْمٍۢ لَّا يُؤْمِنُونَ

10:101Say, ‘Observe what is in the heavens and the earth.’ But neither signs nor warnings avail a people who have no faith.

فَهَلْ يَنتَظِرُونَ إِلَّا مِثْلَ أَيَّامِ ٱلَّذِينَ خَلَوْا۟ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ ۚ قُلْ فَٱنتَظِرُوٓا۟ إِنِّى مَعَكُم مِّنَ ٱلْمُنتَظِرِينَ

10:102Do they await anything except the like of the days of those who passed away before them? Say, ‘Then wait! I too am waiting along with you.’3

ثُمَّ نُنَجِّى رُسُلَنَا وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ حَقًّا عَلَيْنَا نُنجِ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ

10:103Then We shall deliver Our apostles and those who have faith. Thus, it is a must for Us to deliver the faithful.

قُلْ يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّاسُ إِن كُنتُمْ فِى شَكٍّۢ مِّن دِينِى فَلَآ أَعْبُدُ ٱلَّذِينَ تَعْبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ وَلَٰكِنْ أَعْبُدُ ٱللَّهَ ٱلَّذِى يَتَوَفَّىٰكُمْ ۖ وَأُمِرْتُ أَنْ أَكُونَ مِنَ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ

10:104Say, ‘O people! if you are in doubt about my religion, then [know that] I do not worship those whom you worship besides Allah. Rather, I worship only Allah, who causes you to die, and I have been commanded to be among the faithful,

وَأَنْ أَقِمْ وَجْهَكَ لِلدِّينِ حَنِيفًۭا وَلَا تَكُونَنَّ مِنَ ٱلْمُشْرِكِينَ

10:105and that: ‘‘Dedicate yourself to the religion, as a Hanif, and never be one of the polytheists.4

وَلَا تَدْعُ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ مَا لَا يَنفَعُكَ وَلَا يَضُرُّكَ ۖ فَإِن فَعَلْتَ فَإِنَّكَ إِذًۭا مِّنَ ٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ

10:106Nor invoke besides Allah that which neither benefits you nor can do you any harm. For if you do so, then you will indeed be among the wrongdoers.’’ ’

Tafsir

Commentary on this passage

Verse 98

1.The titles of Yunus (a.s.) are Sahibul Haul and Zannoon. He was preaching in Nainawa for a long time and only two people accepted Islam from more than a hundred thousand. The two were Aalim and Abid. At last the Prophet (a.s.) prayed to Allah for wrath and informed the people that Allah was soon going to send His chastisement. Then Yunus (a.s.) himself left that place so that he does not have to witness the pitiable scene. The Aalim alerted the people and took them into the desert, separated the children and women and cried out for help and the chastisement was warded off. Yunus (a.s.) reached the seashore and boarded a ship. A fish obstructed their way and the people said: The fish wants food. They drew lots and the name of Yunus’ (a.s.) was drawn. So the people threw him into the sea and the fish swallowed him. Yunus (a.s.) prayed to Allah and sought forgiveness. Yunus (a.s.) remained safe in the belly of the fish and after a few days the fish spat him out on the shore. He returned to his native place and saw his people safe and prosperous. He became satisfied because of repentance. Allah clarified that man should not desert the community and do his duty and enemies should know that repentance is not useful in hereafter but also useful to save us from worldly troubles.

Footnotes

Explanations of words and phrases in these verses

  1. Benefit

    The nation of Yunus (a.s.) repented on the advice of Aalim when they saw the portends of the approaching chastisement. Because repentance is of no use after the punishment strikes. And this is one of the benefits of knowledge through which a scholar saved the people.

  2. 1

    Divine wisdom has two methods. Sometimes Allah intends the people to perform an action and sometimes He does it Himself. He gives a free will to the people and Himself works by the dictum ‘Be and it is’. Accepting the faith is upto the people, therefore neither Allah forces the people nor commands His prophets to employ force.

  3. 2

    Permission means that the people should achieve such a condition that they could use their intellects because if one does not use reason his impurity and disbelief is proved and this is not suitable for Islam.

  4. 3

    Ahle Sunnat should ponder upon this point, because they consider Allah to be above Justice! And that He can do whatever He likes. Is there any chance of breaking the promise after such a clear promise?

  5. 4

    Addressing the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) is the best way to imply the significance of the topic. It indicates that no one is exempted from this matter.