| A) Low desires and impatience led to Jonah's deviation And Jonah, when he went off in anger, and he thought that We would not be able to take him. Then he called out in the darkness: �There is no god but You! Glory to You, I was of the wicked!� So We responded to him and We saved him from distress. And it is such that We save the faithful. (21:86-87) And Jonah was one of the messengers. When he escaped to the charged ship. And he was guilty, so he became among the losers. Thus a whale swallowed him, and he was the one to blame. And had it not been that he was one of those who implored, He would have stayed in its belly until the Day of Resurrection. So We threw him on the shore while he was sick. And We caused seaweed to grow on him. And We sent him to a hundred thousand, or more. And they believed, so We gave them enjoyment for a time. (37:39-48) You shall be patient for the judgement of your Lord. And do not be like he who called from inside the whale while he was in sorrow. Had it not been for his Lord's grace, he would have remained trapped, while he was to be blamed. But his Lord blessed him, and made him righteous. (68:48-50) Jonah, the one who abandoned his mission (see 21:87), was a messenger of God (see 37:139), who was inspired (see 4:163) and given guidance, was upright, and preferred by God (see 6:86). He tried to flee, but none can escape the judgment of God as Jonah came to learn. Points to reflect on: (1) Jonah let his anger take control and resorted to impatience, thus wronging himself. (2) He was spared from distress as God promises (see (47:2-3) (3) Patience is an important virtue, hold fast to it. (4) Jonah learns wisdom from this affair. That is patience and trust in God�s judgement/s. (5) Don�t let the whale, a representation of falling into an evil condition, swallow you. (6) Remember God�s graces to you, they are innumerable (see 14:34). (7) Do not be hasty, let God work out His will. (8) Messengers can be guilty of doing wrong things. (9) Messengers do slip, Jonah became one of the losers in his impatience with God (see 37:141) (10) Seeking the forgiveness and guidance of God can get us places. (11) It takes time to recuperate (see 37:145-147). (12) The sea represents an unstable enviroment and the whale is the master of that enviroment. Perhaps Jonah fell into a community of wrong-doers and adopted their ways for a time after his initial fall from grace. Afterwards he was thrown onto dry land, which is stable ground compared to the sea, when he repented and turned again to God. The stable ground represents the 'straight path' perhaps. B) The success of those who believe If there was any town that benefited from its belief, then that would be the people of Jonah. When they believed, We removed from them the retribution of disgrace in this worldly life, and We let them enjoy until a time. (10:98) And We sent him to a hundred thousand, or more. And they believed, so We gave them enjoyment for a time. (37:147-148) Jonah had a community that prospered because they surrendered to God. God protected them and made them prosper. Points to reflect on: (1) Those who believe will not be disgraced in this world. (2) This world is an enjoyment. (3) We are all given a set time to abide herein, be we believers, or not. (4) It is possible to have a great group of people who believe. (5) Those who do turn to belief will benefit thus negating humiliation in this life. This is an example or some examples from Jonah, a messenger who did make a mistake, who was guilty of disgrace in the eyes of God. Messengers of God are men like all others on earth (see 11:27, 17:93-96, 18:110, 34:43, 41:6). Those who repent and learn from their mistakes learn wisdom (see 28:15-17). |