Transliteration:( Faltaqamahul hootu wa huwa muleem )
"Then [142] the fish swallowed [143] him, while he was blaming (144) himself."
Hazrat Yunus (peace be upon him) was cast into the river not by force or cruelty, but as a result of the lot that was drawn—a means decreed by Divine wisdom.
In the Shariah of our Holy Prophet ﷺ, making decisions through such casting of lots is not permissible. However, it may have been allowed in the Shariah of Hazrat Yunus or occurred under a specific Divine instruction.
The fish swallowed him by the command of Allah, not for consumption, but to serve a greater purpose—as a vessel for his protection and reflection.
Just as worms were permitted to eat the staff of Hazrat Sulaiman (peace be upon him), but not his body, likewise, the fish did not harm Hazrat Yunus. This is why the Qur’an uses the word “swallowed” and not “ate”, showing honour and preservation.
While inside the fish, Hazrat Yunus blamed himself, acknowledging his error in leaving his people without Divine permission.
This moment of self-accountability marked the beginning of his sincere repentance, which Allah accepted, turning his trial into elevation and mercy.
The tafsir of Surah As-Saffat verse 142 by Ibn Kathir is unavailable here.
Please refer to Surah Saffat ayat 139 which provides the complete commentary from verse 139 through 148.
(37:142) Then a fish swallowed him, and he was blameworthy.[79]
79. This is what one understands from a study of these sentences:
(1) The vessel which the Prophet Jonah (peace be upon him) boarded was already overloaded.
(2) Lots were drawn in the vessel probably at a time when during the voyage it was felt that the lives of the passengers had been endangered due to the overloading; therefore, lots were cast to pick oat a person to be thrown overboard.
(3) The lot fell on the Prophet Jonah (peace be upon him), and so he was thrown into the sea and a fish swallowed him.
(4) The Prophet Jonah (peace be upon him) was so afflicted because he had fled and abandoned the place of his mission without the permission of his Master (Allah Almighty). This meaning is confirmed by the word abaqa as has been explained in (Surah As-Saffat, ayat 140) note 78 above, and also by the word muleem. Muleem is a blameworthy person, who becomes worthy of blame by himself because of his sin and error, whether somebody else blames him for it or not. (Ibn Jarir).
[1303]- For having given up hope on his people prematurely and having left them without permission from Allāh.
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