Chapter 10 - 69
Jonah (Surah Yunus)
(109 verses in total; Late Makkan)
This is a large chapter among the Makkan revelations covering a wide range of subject including direct instruction to the Prophet and his followers while cautioning and admonishing the deniers to see, reflect and find the right guidance. Through stories of prophets and giving examples of situational awareness of our existence on this earth, the earthly provisions and the heavenly construct, this chapter calls for contemplations, seeking the truth and establishing faith and goodness in life.
Key themes in this chapter are as follows:
The revelations are a source of wisdom, and it should surprise none that God had sent such revelations by empowering a fellow human being from the community
God not only created the heavens and the earth but also controls the process of creation, reproduction, death and resurrection
The relative positions of the sun, the moon and the earth are calculated to offer sense of time, seasons, accountability and evidence of God’ presence and supervision
God acts according to His plan and do not rush to judgment, thereby, allowing each human being sufficient time and opportunity to find the truth, faith and goodness in life
No one should be forced to believe since God could have made everyone a believer if God so willed – freedom of choice is a God-given right and should be respected
Believers should be patient and follow the guidance without being distracted or grieved by the deniers and their animosity towards believers and the revelation
In the name of Allah, the God of Mercy, the Endower of Mercy!
Alif, Lam, Ra!
These are the guidance (ayat) of the Book of Wisdom. Is it surprising to the people that We (God) have brought revelations (1) to a human being from amongst themselves, (2) to caution people and (3) to provide assurance to the faithful that their pursuit (qadama-sidqin) is on a strong footing towards their Sustainer God? Those who deny God, say: “This is a clear enchantment.” (v. 1-2)
Certainly, your Sustainer is Allah who created the universe and the earth in six stages (ayyamin—days) and assumed control to manage its affairs. No one can interfere except with His permission. This is Allah, your Sustainer—serve Him. How is it that you are not mindful of this? To Him you all will be gathered, a promise of truth from Allah. Indeed, His is the first creation (yabdau’l khalqa) and its continuous evolutions and reproductions (yu’eduhu), so that He may justly reward those who demonstrate faith and perform good works. As for those who deny God, there will be unfulfilled quench for life[1] and serious negative consequences[2] as a natural consequence of their disbelief. (v. 3-4)
It is God Who made the sun a bright star (diay’an) and the moon a light (nuran)and prescribed their movements that help you determine the calculation of years (time) and shapes accountability (for lifetime of opportunities). Allah arranged such as your reality and made these as visible signs for those who wish to know. Indeed, in the alternations of the day and the night (earth’s rotations and movement) and all that Allah had created and placed in the universe and on this earth, are definitive manifestations (of His presence) for those people who wish to be mindful and act responsibly! (v. 5-6)
Those who deny the possibility of meeting Us (God), being content with the life of this world and feeling no desire to look beyond—are the ones who pay no attention to Our signs and evidence. These are the ones who are destined to the fire as a consequence of what they pursued. (In contrast), those who attain faith and demonstrate good work, their Sustainer God will guide them through their faith into the Garden of Contentment (jannatin na’yeem) with rivers flowing beneath. Their supplications therein will be: “O God, all glory is to You!” And they will offer greetings of peace (to one another). And their concluding word will be: “All praises belong to Allah, the Sustainer of the universe!” (v. 7-10)
If Allah were to rush to judgment and bring out the consequence of mankind’s evil acts, in a manner similar to how they rush to things they consider good for themselves, their doom (ajal) would have already been decreed and carried out. But God allows latitude to those who have no expectation of meeting God, to thoughtlessly wander around in their disobedience, reckless behavior and disbelief.
When adversities and difficult situations affect a person, he calls on God constantly and instinctively - lying, sitting or standing - but as soon as God removes such afflictions, he acts though he had never called on God for such afflictions that touched him before. Such is their condition who rationalize their thoughtlessness, and complacency in their evil conducts (musrifin).
We (God) had certainly removed generations in the past who refused to accept faith (and goodness) despite having messengers who articulated guidance for them. This is how We deal with people who persist in evils. We then brought you (a new generation) to become (Our) representatives (khalifa) on this earth so that We might assess how you act. (v. 11-14)
When Our revelations are presented to them, specially to those who deny that they will come back to us, they say: “Bring a Qur’an that is different from this or change it.” Say to them: “I cannot change it on my own accord. I follow nothing other than what is revealed to me. If I were to alter what came from my Sustainer God, then I would be afraid of its consequence, especially on a terrifying day (final day of judgement).” Say further: “If Allah had so willed, I would not have come to recite this to you, nor would God make this known to you. You know that I have lived among you for almost a lifetime already. What is it that you do not comprehend?” (v. 15-16)
Who can be more at fault that the one who pronounces lie about Allah or deny revelations from Him? Such deniers will not succeed. Such people serve others beside God as deities who can do neither harm nor any good. They say: “These are our intermediaries for God.” Reply to them: Are you informing God of what He is not aware of in the universe and on this planet (of His)? God’s glory is above what they ascribe to Him.” (v. 17-18)
All of mankind was (is) but one single community but they started to aspire divergent views. Had not a decree (kalimah) from your Sustainer God already been pronounced in this matter, their disagreements would have been dealt with already. They say: Why does not God send a sign (a miracle or a proof) to him?” Say to them: “Only God knows what He had not expressed yet. You should wait then, and I too am with you who wait.” (v. 19-20)
(Consider) when We (God) show people our mercy and good life after an adversity, they immediately start to question (plot against) our messages. Inform them: “God is even quicker in developing a plot.” Indeed, our messengers (angels and others) write down what you plot. (Know that) it is God who enables you to travel by land and sea. (Visualize) You are on a ship sailing in good weather and delighted in it until violent wind come from nowhere and big wave surrounds you from all sides - you feel you have no escape. Then you begin to pray to Allah, with genuine sincerity and full submission to His will: “God, if You deliver us from this, you will find us grateful.” Yet, once He gives them deliverance, they turn to evils (yabghuna) without any justification.
O mankind, such defiance only acts against your own selves—such freedom is only extended in this life. Then you will come back to Us and We will inform you about your conducts and pursuits. (v. 21-23)
The life of on this planet can be explained in this parable: We (God) sends down rain from up above and cause vegetations to flourish which become the source of nourishment for mankind and animals alike. Such abundance of growth beautifies the earth with color, fragrance and joyful presence and people begin to believe that they have become the master of their fortune and this earth. But Our reminders come by day or by night and We render the earth like a field freshly mown down, as if it did not exist the day before. This is how We spell out the details for those who wish to reflect (and repurpose their lives). (v. 24)
Allah invites to peace and tranquility, and He guides whom He wills to Straight Path. Whoever does good, God will reward good for them and more (as He wills). They will face neither disappointment nor shame and will be made the residence of Heaven!
Those who do evil, the consequence will be likewise evil, and they will be shamed. They have none to protect them from God and they will find themselves lost as if the darkness of the night has fallen on them. They are in the company of those who are in the Fire and therein they will be confined.
A day will come when We (God) will gather them back together and We will say to the polytheists: “Stay where you are, you and your deities.” We will then separate them, and their deities will say: “You did not serve us. God alone is sufficient as a witness between you and us; we were unaware of your ever worshipping us.” This is how every human soul will recognize what it had accomplished before and now that they are brought face to face with God, their true Patron, all their past shenanigans will desert them (leaving them on their own to account for themselves).” (v. 25-30)
Ask: “Who gives you sustenance from the universe and the earth? Who controls your ability to hear or to see? Who brings forth the living from the dead and brings forth the dead from the living? Who controls and regulates the affairs (of life and natural world)?” Their reply will be: “It is Allah.” Ask: “Will you not then be mindful and act responsibly?” Such is Allah, your true Sustainer! Outside of truth, there are only conjectures and manufactured falsehoods. How is it then you do not pay attention? This is how God proves reality against those who persistently deny and reject faith.
Ask: “Is there anyone from those of your deities and godheads who can bring out the first creations and then guide their evolution?” Say: “It is Allah Who causes the first creations and then He guides their evolutions. How come you continue to deny? Ask: Does any of your deity guide to the truth? Say: “It is Allah who guides to the truth. Is not the One who you to the truth more worthy to be followed than one who cannot find his own ways unless guided?” What is really the matter with you? How do you assess reality?
Most of them follow nothing except creating conjectures and manufacturing falsehoods. Such falsehood cannot withstand truth. Allah certainly knows what they do. (v. 31-36)
This Qur’an is not something that can be devised by anyone other than Allah; (furthermore) it verifies and confirms previous revelations and provides clear explanation of the book (of guidance), in which there is no doubt, coming from the Sustainer of the Universe! Do they say: He (the Prophet) has forged it? Reply: (if so), then bring a chapter like this and seek help from anyone other than Allah, if you speak the truth?
They reject anything that they are unable (or unwilling) to comprehend while the final outcome (ta’wil) is yet to come to them. Some of their previous generations behaved in a similar manner and you can see what their fate was due to their wrongdoings. Some of them believe in this guidance and some of them do not believe in it. But your Sustainer God knows well those who are steeped in corruptions and mischiefs.
If they reject you (Prophet), say to them: “My work is for me and your work is for you. I am not accountable for what you do, and you are not accountable for what I do.” Some of them do listen to you but how can you make someone understand who is (or act as if) deaf? Some of them see you but how can you show someone the way who is (or act as if) blind. Allah does not do injustice to people but they themselves do injustice to their own selves! (v. 37-44)
On the day when God will gather them, (they will feel as if) they only lived for an hour of a day; they will recognize (their previous relationships with) one another. Those who rejected before their meeting with Allah and did not strive to find guidance (for a purposeful and faithful life), they will indeed be in jeopardy (on that day). Irrespective of whether We bring about (or show you) what We promised or you die (beforehand), they will (eventually) return to Us; Allah is a Witness to what they do.
To every community (ummah), there is a messenger; so, when such messengers (and their messages) arrive, their affairs are decided based on just principles and no wrong is done to them. They ask: “When will this promise (of God) take place, if you speak the truth?” Tell them: “I have no control over any harm or benefit that might come to me except as God wills. For every community (nation, groups, families, individuals) is a term set (azalun) and when such a term is about to manifest, they can neither defer it by a moment nor hasten it before (its time).” Say: “When God’s promise (of retribution) comes about on either by the hour of the day or the night, what part of it would you want to speed up? Is it that when it happens, you will now agree to believe while in the past you asked to speed up such an outcome?”
It will be said to those who acted unjustly: “Face the consequence of what you have earned; your reality is but what you have striven for.” They further ask: “Is this really true?” Tell them: “Yes, by my God it is the real truth; you will not escape (the judgment of God).” (v. 45-53)
If any soul that is guilty of injustice owns all that is on earth, it will offer up, all of it, to save itself. Such people will be full of regret once they see the consequence of their conducts. Their affairs will be decided with justice for them and no injustice will be done. Don’t you know that all that is in the universe and on earth belongs to God and God’s promise (of due process and consequences for conducts) are true though most of them dispute or are unmindful. God creates life and causes death and to God you all will be brought back.
O Mankind: Certainly, a cautionary reminder (mawyizatun) has come to you from your Sustainer God and a solace (shifaaun) for the heart; it is a guidance and a source of grace for the faithful. Tell them: “It is the grace of Allah and His mercy that should be the source of your joy and contentment, not what of material things you (work so hard) to hoard.”
Say: “See what Allah has gifted you all for sustenance, yet some of it you make lawful (keep to yourself) and some of it you make unlawful (to deprive others).” Ask: “Did Allah make such determinations, or you are lying about Allah? What would be the condition of such people on the Day of Resurrection, who lie against Allah? Allah is ever Bountiful to mankind, but many are not thankful. (v. 54-60)
In no condition or engagement that you might find yourself, no portion of the Qur’an that you might be reading, reflecting or explaining (to others) and no work which you might be doing, that We (God) are not a Witness to such of your occupations. Neither is there anything of the weight of an atom (miskala jarratin) on the earth or in the universe hidden from your Sustainer God, nor anything smaller nor larger than that. These are all but, in a book, well documented (kitabim mubin).
Now for the friends (awliaa’) of Allah, who are faithful and are mindfully responsible (to their human rights and obligations) will have no fear not will they grieve. For them are the good news and outcomes in this life and in the life to come as Allah’s words (and promises) suffer no change and such outcome is an achievement worth striving for.
Let not the speech and conduct of some (of your adversaries) be a source of grief for you. All the glory and might belongs to Allah and comes from Him. God Hears and God Knows! Whatever exists in the universe and what is on this earth belong to Allah alone. Those who invoke others aside from Allah, what is it that they follow? It is nothing but false conjectures (zanna) and they only surmise! (v. 61-66)
It is God Who established the night to find rest and comfort therein and the day to enable you to see. Surely these have meanings for those who wish to listen.
Some people say: Allah has taken a son! What! God has all the glory by Himself and He is totally Self-Sufficient. All that is in the universe and on earth belongs to God. You have no authority to make such assertions. Are you saying things about Allah that you have no knowledge or certainty of? Say: Those who attribute such lies to Allah will not succeed. A brief period of existence (mata’un) in this worldly life and then you will return to Us (God). We will then make you face the severe consequences of your denials. (v. 67-70)
And narrate to them the story of Noah when he said to his people: “O my people, if you find it hard (to accept) my presence among you and my delivering messages from Allah to you, then know that I only rely on Allah. Therefore, you should decide your course of action, you and your partners, and have no doubt about your course of action. Then follow through your decision against me and give me no respite. But if you turn away, know that I ask for no compensation from you. My compensation is from Allah alone and I am commanded to be with those who submit (muslimin).” But they (his community) rejected him; so We (God) delivered him and those who were believers with him in the ark and gave them the opportunity to govern (themselves) while those who denied the messages, We cause them to be drowned. Therefore, you should wonder about the end results of those who have been warned (about the truth)!
After him (Noah), We continued to send messengers to them; messengers who came with sound arguments and reasoning, but they continued to deny what they rejected before. This is how We allowed their hearts to be impervious (to the truth) because they transgressed the boundary (of faith and goodness). Following these prophets, We sent Moses and Aaron to Pharaoh and his Advisers with Our Messages but they were blind with pride and they were consumed in sinful conducts and practices. So, when the message of truth came to them, they said to themselves: “This is a clear deception!” (v. 71-76)
Moses said: “Do you say that this truth that has come to you is a deception? (Do you know that) those who deceive will never succeed?” They responded: “Have you come to us to move us away from what we found our forefathers to be following? And perhaps you two wish to have greatness in the land. We are not going to have any faith in you two.” Pharaoh then commanded: “Bring all skilled magicians to me.”
When the magicians gathered, Moses told them: “Go head and cast your spell.” So, when they displayed their spell, Moses said: “What you just brought forth is nothing but deception and Allah will bring these to nothing. Allah does not allow works of deception, mischief and corruption to thrive.” Allah will surely establish the truth by His words, though those who are guilty will dislike. But none believed in Moses, except a few from his own community, for fear of persecution from Pharaoh and his chiefs, who were oppressive in the land and drawn to excess (abuse of power and wealth).
Moses told his people: “O my followers, if you believe in Allah, then rely on Him, as a mark of your true submission.” His followers prayed: “We put our trust in Allah. O our Sustainer God, may You not render us as a source of persecution for people who are unjust and may You deliver us, by Your Mercy, from people who deny Your grace.” (v. 77-86)
We (God) inspired Moses and his brother: take up residence with your people in Egypt and turn your houses into places of worship; do establish regular prayer (salat) and encourage those who have believed. Moses prayed: O our Sustainer God, you have given Pharaoh and his Chiefs wealth and grandeur which they use to abuse and mislead people. Our Sustainer, may You destroy their possessions and insulate their hearts so that they do not accept faith until the consequence of their evils catches up with them. God said: “Your prayer has been accepted. So, continue to follow the right guidance and do not act like those who are ignorant.”
We (God) brought the Children of Israel across the sea (to safety) while Pharaoh and his army chased them to continue their oppression and evils till the moment when drowning overtook him, he said: “I now believe that there is no god but Allah in Whom the Children of Israel believe, and I am one who submit.” What Now! Whereas before this moment, you denied and made mischiefs and evils. But this day We shall preserve your body and make it a reminder for those who comes after you, though most people are not mindful of such events and signs. (v. 87-92)
Thereafter, We (God) granted the Children of Israel safe and secure places to live and provided them with good sustenance. They were united until knowledge (of mutual rights and obligations) was given to them (through the Torah and the prophets). Indeed, your Sustainer God will provide judgment on the Day of Resurrection regarding matters that they held divergent views.
If you (Prophet) are in doubt about what has been revealed (Qur’an) to you, then ask those who familiar with the Book (previous revelations) before you. Do not be among the doubters since the truth has come your Sustainer God. Also, do not be among those who reject the message of Allah, then you will not succeed. Indeed, those who have proven to be unfaithful as God had willed (due to their persistent denial and rejection) will not benefit from guidance though they will be offered repeatedly to observe and reflect until they are faced with the severe outcome. (v. 93-97)
How is it that there has not been a town that believed so that their belief would have profited them, except the followers of Jonah? Once they have attained faith (and goodness) We (God) removed their suffering and disgrace in this life and gave them freedom to carry out their term of existence. If your Sustainer God had willed, people on earth would have accepted faith and goodness, all of them. Will you then force people to become believers?
It is not for a soul to accept faith (and goodness) except as Allah wills. God lets disbelief and evils to take hold (rijhsa) on those who exerts not to understand and reason. Say: “Take lessons from what is in the universe and on this earth.” Those who lack faith will not benefit from such expositions, narratives and admonitions. What are they waiting for, their wait (for clarity) being no different than their previous generations? Say: Wait then; I too wait with you. We (God) then deliver those who believe and our Messengers, as always. It is binding on Us to deliver the people of faith and goodness. (v. 98-103)
Say (Prophet): “O people, if you doubt about what I convey to you as God’s guidance (deen), then let it be known that I do not worship or serve any of your deities or beliefs but that of Allah alone Who brings your death and demise. I am commanded to be of the believers. You should set yourself sincerely to the right faith and stay away from polytheism. You should not invoke and seek out anything, other than Allah, which can neither benefit you nor cause you any harm. If you do so, you are only proving your denials and unfairness. If Allah were to let any affliction touch you, there is none who can remove it and if He intends goodness for you, none can take away His grace. God brings out consequences to His creations as He wills. God is truly full of Mercy and Forgiveness!”
Say: “O people, truth has indeed been conveyed to you from your Sustainer God. Now whoever seeks and follows the true guidance, does it for his or her own good and whoever misguides, does it to his or her own peril. I am (as a prophet) not responsible for your conduct! (As for my followers) follow what has been revealed to you and be patient till Allah brings about just outcomes as He is Best of all judges! (v. 104-109)
1(sharabun min hamim) Drink of boiling water
2(a’dhabun alim) severe punishment
