Yunus and the Giant Fish
The Prophet Yunus (AS) is sent to Nineveh, runs away and is swallowed by a giant fish, in a fictionalised Qur'an story for children aged 7 to 12.
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What is Yunus and the Giant Fish about?
Yunus and the Giant Fish is an Islamic audiobook for children aged 7 to 12, a fictionalised retelling of the story of the Prophet Yunus (AS), who was swallowed by a great fish and saved by Allah's mercy.
The people of the rich city of Nineveh have grown proud and greedy, pray to the sun and to statues, and cheat each other. Allah chooses Yunus, a kind and honest man from a nearby village, to warn them. His neighbours send him off with gifts, but in the city he is tricked out of his donkey, laughed at, poked with a stick and pelted with fish guts. After weeks of preaching to people who will not listen, Yunus loses heart and leaves the city before sunrise, without waiting for Allah's permission.
Behind him, dark clouds cover Nineveh, and the frightened people remember his warning, turn to Allah and are forgiven. Yunus, meanwhile, works his passage on a ship. A storm strikes, lots are drawn to decide who must go into the sea, and three times the lot falls on Yunus. In the waves a giant fish swallows him. In the darkness he calls on Allah: there is no god but You, glory be to You, I have done wrong. Allah forgives him, and the fish casts him onto the shore, where a plant grows to shade him while he recovers. He returns to Nineveh, where this time the people listen.
Told in six chapters over about 35 minutes and read by Sandy Walsh, the story teaches Allah's mercy, the power of sincere dua and the importance of patience and obedience to Allah. It is a Miraj original.
What your child will learn
- Allah is merciful and forgives anyone who sincerely turns back to Him.
- Yunus (AS) called on Allah from the darkness of the fish, and Allah answered him.
- A people who repented were saved, and so can anyone who says sorry to Allah.
- We should be patient with a task Allah has given us, even when it is hard.
Chapters
- A Prophet's Call
- Yunus Goes to Ninevah
- The Challenge
- Yunus Runs Away
- The Giant Fish
- Return to Ninevah
Where this audiobook comes from
- Surah Al-Anbiya 21:87-88: Yunus called out in the darkness, "There is no god but You, glory be to You, I have been of the wrongdoers," and Allah answered him and saved him from distress.
- Surah As-Saffat 37:139-148: Yunus fled to the laden ship, drew lots and lost, was swallowed by the fish, and was cast onto the shore, where Allah made a gourd plant grow over him. He was sent to a hundred thousand or more, and they believed.
- Surah Yunus 10:98: The people of Yunus believed, and Allah removed from them the punishment of disgrace.
- Surah Al-Qalam 68:48-50: Be patient, and do not be like the companion of the fish, who called out in distress; his Lord chose him and made him one of the righteous.
Talk about it afterwards
- Why did the people of Nineveh not listen to Yunus (AS) at first?
- Why did Yunus (AS) leave Nineveh before Allah gave him permission, and what did he say to Allah afterwards?
- What did Yunus (AS) say to Allah inside the fish?
- How did the people of Nineveh treat Yunus (AS) when he came back?
- When can we say the dua of Yunus (AS)?
Words to know
- Nabi
- A prophet.
- Nineveh
- The great city to which Yunus (AS) was sent, according to the books of tafsir; the Qur'an does not name the city.
Frequently asked questions
What age is Yunus and the Giant Fish suitable for?
Children aged 7 to 12. It is a long story with some tense moments, such as the storm and the giant fish, which older children enjoy.
Is Yunus and the Giant Fish based on the Qur'an?
Yes. It follows the story of Yunus (AS) in the Qur'an, in Surah Al-Anbiya, Surah As-Saffat and Surah Yunus. The village, the characters in Nineveh and the ship's crew are the story's own additions.
How long is Yunus and the Giant Fish?
About 35 minutes, in six chapters.
