THE STORY OF THE PROPHET JONAH - Repentant Nineveh Residents

In ancient times, the Assyrians lived in big cities on the banks of the Tigris river. Their biggest city is Nineveh. They live from agricultural products. Many wheat plants grow in their vast fields. They also pasture their livestock on the fertile land.

Surah Ash-Shaffat verse 139:

وَإِنَّ يُونُسَ لَمِنَ ٱلۡمُرۡسَلِينَ  ١٣٩

139.  And indeed, Jonah was among the messengers.

Yunus (Jonah) bin Matta is a Prophet sent by Allah SWT to preach in Nineveh. Nineveh's inhabitants were people who worshiped idols. They do not worship Allah SWT. So Prophet Jonah invited them to believe in Allah SWT and to persuade Him. Prophet Jonah also explained that worship of idols is a misguided deed, and idols are only man-made that cannot provide various benefits, are immovable, and cannot speak. He explained that Allah SWT had created all living things including humans, so that only Allah SWT must be obeyed.

The teachings of Prophet Jonah are regarded as new and different things in Nineveh, so they do not want to follow the teachings. They continued to worship idols because it had become a habit taught by their ancestors from generation to generation. Prophet Jonah continued to give advice. He said that what he conveyed was the command of Allah SWT so that they must follow the teachings of Allah SWT. He also explained that he wanted to save the people of Nineveh from heresy towards a sacred religion. But the residents of Nineveh continued to insist on their deeds. There are only two people who want to accept the teachings of Prophet Jonah, namely Rubil and Tanuh. Rubil is a pious and wise person, while Tanuh is a calm and simple person.

After the Prophet Jonah felt that the people of Nineveh did not want to accept his teachings, then Jonah left them with anger. Prophet Jonah hoped that they would be punished by Allah SWT.

After the Prophet Jonah left, Nineveh residents experienced a strange event. The sky above their city was covered in very dark clouds. Farm animals feel uncomfortable. The wind blew hard and the thunder from the clouds blared. Seeing this, they understood that the teachings carried by Prophet Jonah were true teachings and not artificial teachings. So they realized that they were in wrong way. They should not worship useless idols and understand that they should worship Allah SWT.

They searched for Prophet Jonah, but Prophet Jonah had gone far to a place they did not know. They regret their wrong actions and gather somewhere while expressing their faith in Allah SWT. They asked for forgiveness and mercy from Allah SWT so that disaster would not come to them.

Allah SWT granted forgiveness requests from His sorry servants. Then the sky of the city of Nineveh which was covered in dark clouds immediately turned bright again. The residents of Nineveh already felt calm and were not afraid anymore. Then they give thanks to Allah SWT with feeling happy. Then they only worship Allah SWT who has given them gifts.

Surah Yunus verse 98:

فَلَوۡلَا كَانَتۡ قَرۡيَةٌ ءَامَنَتۡ فَنَفَعَهَآ إِيمَٰنُهَآ إِلَّا قَوۡمَ يُونُسَ لَمَّآ ءَامَنُواْ كَشَفۡنَا عَنۡهُمۡ عَذَابَ ٱلۡخِزۡيِ فِي ٱلۡحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنۡيَا وَمَتَّعۡنَٰهُمۡ إِلَىٰ حِينٖ  ٩٨

98.  Then has there not been a [single] city that believed so its faith benefited it except the people of Jonah? When they believed, We removed from them the punishment of disgrace in worldly life and gave them enjoyment for a time.

While the Prophet Jonah is still on his way without a definite purpose.

Reference:

·    As Sayyid, Kamal and Anis, Selma (Translator). 2005. Kisah-kisah Terbaik Alquran. Jakarta: Pustaka Zahra.

·    AR., MB. Rahimsyah. Sejarah Islam Kisah 25 Nabi dan Rasul. Surabaya: CV Pustaka Agung Harapan.

·       mafiadoc.com_25-kisah-para-nabi_5a17d36a1723ddce5c8a2001 (PDF)