Hadhrat Yunus (AS) and Whale

Read Hadhrat Younus’ (AS) story.  Please note that though many scholars have written that the fish who swallowed him was a whale, it is not a certified fact since it is not mentioned in Quraan and Hadith. Though we have still included whales in our Animals in Quraan unit study, this point should be made clear.
After reading Younus’ (AS) story, you can do following activities:
1. Memorize the duaa made by him when he was in the fish’s belly. Here is a translation of it:

“There is no Ruler beside Thee, Thou art pure of deficiency, I was of the wrong ones” (Al Anbiyaa 87)

Explain the significance of this duaa. Reciting this duaa is very effective in removal of miseries, Insha Allaah.
2. Talk about the lessons learnt from Younus’ (AS) story. Emphasise on the parts of story where Younus (AS) realized his mistakes and at once resorted to Istighfaar.
3. Also gently drive this Aqeedah home that Ambiyaa are free from sin, and their mistakes were also forgiven by Allaah. Make sure that no doubt as to the great ranks of Ambiyaa remain in the innocent minds, Insha Allaah.
4. Find the verses in which Younus (AS) is mentioned. Discuss about his qualities described by Allaah (SWT). Think of ways in which these qualities can be acquired by ourselves. Make a Wordle with these.

5. Older children can be given the task to rewrite the story.
6. Memorize the Arabic words for fish, whale, sea, river, boat, belly etc.
7. Try mapping out Younus’ (AS) route. Regarding his journey there are two different points of view. Some scholars say that he embarked on the boat to cross Euphrates river and there the fish swallowed him, while others say he wanted to go to Tirshish (where Tunis is situated nowadays) and so this episode with whale occurred on his journey on Mediterranean Sea. So try mapping out a general route from Ninawa (near Mosul) to Jaffa (Old Jaffa) or from Ninawa to Euphrates on Google maps. “Atlas of the Quraan” is a very beneficial book for this purpose.
Here is our map of his journey from Ninawa to Jaffa.


View Younus' (AS) Journey in a larger map