ভূমিকা

The Qur’an points to this truth as a universal and permanent principle as follows: "إن الله لا يغيّر ما بقوم حتى يغيّروا بأنفسهم." “Indeed Allah does not change a people’s lot, unless they change what is in their souls.” [^1] It also says elsewhere: ﴿ وَلَوْ أَنَّ أَهْلَ الْقُرَى آمَنُواْ وَاتَّقَواْ لَفَتَحْنَا عَلَيْهِم بَرَكَاتٍ مِّنَ السَّمَاء وَالأَرْضِ ﴾ “If the people of the towns had been faithful and God-wary, We would have opened to them blessings from the heaven and the earth.” [^2] And regarding the change in the destiny of Hadrat Yunus (Jonah) ( ‘a ), it says: "فلولا أنه كان من المسبحين للبث في بطنه إلى يوم يُبعثون." “And had he not been one of those who celebrate Allah’s glory, he would have surely remained in its belly till the day they will be resurrected.” [^3] Apparently, the latter verse indicates that Prophet Yunus ( ‘a ) would have remained in that particular prison (belly of whale) till the Day of Resurrection were it not for his meritorious conduct (glorifying Allah) which resulted in changing the course of his destiny and safety.