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Stories from the Life of the Prophet
Jonah
> A Dark Prison -- True Stories from the Life of
the Prophet Jonah/Yunus True
Stories from the Life of the Prophet
Jonah/Yunus: It is the law of Allah that whenever people go astray and forget Him, He sends His apostles to direct them to the right path. Jonah was one of them. He was commanded by his Lord to go to a town in Syria, and guide the people to His path. People were so demoralised that despite his good teachings and his untiring efforts, they turned deaf-ears to his preachings. Jonah, who was a man of determination went on with his work. Instead of helping him in his good and noble mission they began to oppose and humiliate him. Jonah was after all a man. When he saw that no one came to listen to him and his toilsome efforts did not bear fruit, he made up his mind to leave his people. After some days he reached the sea-shore. He saw a ship laden with cargo ready to sail. The master of the ship gave him a berth. They had not gone far when a storm broke out and carried away the ship. The passengers were panic-stricken and their lives were in despair. It was, however, decided that one life must be sacrificed to save the ship, (such was their belief). Jonah shared with them, but he was selected to be cast off. Accordingly, he was thrown into the sea. A big fish devouring him dived into the bottom of the sea. Jonah was thus imprisoned in a black hole, and he wondered as to why he was shut up there, and what wrong he had done? At once he realised that he had left his duty unfinished and therefore incurred the displeasure of Allah. Among afflictions he called out, "There is no God but Thou, glory be to Thee; Surely I am of those who make themselves to suffer loss." (The Holy Quran: 21:87). God responded to his prayers and he found himself thrown out of the abysmal cave and was once again on the soil. As he was sick, Allah caused to grow up for him a gourd--plant. When he recovered he went back to his people and began preaching them more zealously and energetically than ever before. At last his efforts were rewarded and the people followed him and in patience Jonah became proverbial. The moral of this story is that we should not lose patience and heart even if it seems to us that our efforts are long in bringing forth any fruit.
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