Yunus and the Whale: a Quran story for kids

Allah sent His Prophet Yunus to the people of a big city, to call them to worship Allah.

His people did not listen, so Yunus left the city, upset with them.

Yunus boarded a ship loaded with people and goods, and it sailed out on the wide sea.

And Allah willed that a huge whale swallowed him.

﴿فَٱلْتَقَمَهُ ٱلْحُوتُ﴾

As-Saffat 37:142

It means: And the whale swallowed him.

Yunus was in the darkness: inside the whale, deep in the sea.

So he called out to his Lord from the darkness:

﴿أَن لَّآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّآ أَنتَ سُبْحَـٰنَكَ إِنِّى كُنتُ مِنَ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ﴾

Al-Anbya 21:87

It means: There is no god but You, O Allah. Glory be to You. I was the one who did wrong.

Think: What do you say when you make a mistake?

Allah answered his prayer: the whale brought him out onto the shore, and Allah grew a gourd plant over him.

﴿فَنَبَذْنَـٰهُ بِٱلْعَرَآءِ وَهُوَ سَقِيمٌ﴾

As-Saffat 37:145

It means: We brought him out onto an open, empty shore, and he was tired.

Yunus went back to his people, and they all believed, and lived in goodness and blessing.

﴿فَـَٔامَنُوا۟ فَمَتَّعْنَـٰهُمْ إِلَىٰ حِينٍ﴾

As-Saffat 37:148

It means: They believed, so Allah gave them good things for a long time.