The Quran tells the story of Prophet Yunus, Jonah, who got swallowed by the whale. He lived in the city of Nineveh, now in modern day Iraq. Similar to prophets who came before him, Jonah called people to worship one God. Rejecting his call, the local citizenry continued their arrogant and morally bankrupt ways. Fed up with people jeering at him, an exasperated Jonah warned his people of God’s inevitable punishment. Jonah became angry and decided to leave his people and the city. The Quran mentions Jonah’s anger, “And remember when he went off in anger”.
It is said that after Jonah’s departure, the colour of the sky changed to a fiery red. People became fearful of God, gathered atop a mountain and begged God for forgiveness. Their sincere repentance was accepted by God and the colour of the sky changed to blue. Aware of wronging Jonah, his people prayed that he return to the city.
Meanwhile, Jonah had travelled far away to the seas, after boarding a ship. As darkness fell, there came a violent storm. In attempting to lighten the ship’s burden, those aboard threw their belongings in the water. It made little difference. The ship needed to be lightened further. The passengers put all the names of all those aboard in a lot, pulling out one so as to decide who should be thrown off the ship. The name that came up was Jonah’s. They knew Jonah to be a pious person and did not want to throw him in the sea. So they repeated the lot casting process. Jonah’s name came again, and again and again.
Jonah understood this as God’s will and jumped off the ship, only to be swallowed by a huge fish. Jonah became fearful inside the belly of the fish. The Quran tell us of Jonah’s prayer while in the belly of the fish: “None has the right to be worshipped but you, oh God, and truly I was one of the oppressors.” Jonah repeated this prayer till God answered and saved him. Muslims repeat recitations of this prayer when in severe distress.
The fish threw Jonah at the shore, his skin badly affected by the acidic contents of the fish’s belly. With burnt skin, Jonah could not protect himself from the sun and wind. Jonah repeated this verse till God produced a tree that grew over and around him, providing food and healing. On recovery, Jonah returned to his people, to guide them on the path to God.
That fateful night, three layers of darkness enveloped Jonah — the darkness of the night, the darkness of the sea and the darkness of the fish’s belly. Jonah realised that he had been trying to change the external world, polluting his soul by getting angry with those not listening to him. Inside the belly of the fish, he realised that it is God who changes souls. He had been wrong in dealing with people with anger. Jonah had to let go of his “I”. Jonah’s prayer represents the journey of the soul. He says, “‘I’ was amongst the oppressors.” The “I” is clearly in past tense. So, sometimes, we all have to go inside the belly of the fish to get rid of the “I”, moving to a space where “I am” becomes “I was”, that is, something we have left behind.
