This portion of Al-Kitab takes its name from its main character, Prophet Yunus (pbuh), or Jonah. During the reign of King Jeroboam II of Israel, Allah sent Prophet Yunus (pbuh) to preach to the people of Nineveh. Nineveh was the capital city of Assyria, one of Israel’s greatest enemies. Yunus (pbuh) was sent to tell Nineveh that in 40 days it would be destroyed. However, Yunus (pbuh) did not want to go. He did not want the people of Nineveh to believe him and possibly cry out to Allah for mercy. He wanted only their destruction. So he chose to go in the opposite direction and boarded a ship for Spain. Allah prepared a large fish to swallow Yunus (pbuh) and take him in the right direction, so he could go to Nineveh and do as he had been told.
