But the scholar remained among the people.

But the scholar remained among the people. Seeing the signs of the Divine punishment he advised his people: “Cry and pray to Allah. Perhaps He will defer His anger. Maybe He will shed His Mercy on you.” People asked him how they should appeal to Allah. He said, “Leave your homes and go to the forest. Make children separate from their mothers also separate the little ones of sheep and goats and cows from their mothers and weep earnestly with humility before Allah.” All did likewise.

They went to the jungle and cried and wept and lamented profusely. Allah became kind to them and deferred His chastisement, even though its time had almost arrived. Then Yunus came there to see how they were destroyed. But what he saw was a farmer was ploughing his field. He asked him “What happened to the people of Yunus?” They did not recognize Yunus and replied that: “He (Yunus had cursed his community.

Allah accepted his curse and His chastisement almost arrived on their heads, but then the people gathered and cried and wept and repented in the presence of their Lord. He became kind to them, showed His mercy and sidetracked the chastisement from them and made it scatter over the mountains. Now the people were searching for Yunus so that they could put faith in him.” Hearing this Yunus became angry and walked towards the seashore frowning. He saw a ship which was loaded and was about to sail.

He got into it with the permission of the ship owners. In mid sea Allah sent a huge fish which blocked the way of the ship. Seeing the fish Yunus became fearful and others who were also frightened exclaimed: “Surely a sinner has got into our ship. Let us see who he is.” They drew lots which revealed the name of Yunus, so they threw him into the mouth of the fish which went away into the seawater.

A Rabbi once asked Amir al-Mu’minin ‘Ali: “Which prison went around the world with its inmate.” He replied, “The fish in which Allah had imprisoned Yunus.” That fish went in the Red Sea or the Arabian Sea; from there it went to the river of Egypt. Therefrom it reached Tiberius, and then entered the river Tigris in Baghdad. Then it dived under the earth until it reached Qarun (Korah). Discussion of Yunus with Qarun have already been mentioned in the events of Qarun.

Allah ordered an angel in charge of Qarun to withhold chastisement from him during his worldly days. Anyhow, Yunus cried out in the belly of the fish. Allah responded to his prayer and ordered the fish to disgorge him onto the shore.