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Mosque of Prophet Yunus (عليه السلام)

Mosque of Prophet Yunus (peace be upon him)
Front of the mosque - Photo:R.Chohan

This mosque houses a tomb believed to be that of Prophet Yunus (عليه السلام). The mosque was built by the Ayyubids in 1226 CE and is located in a town called Halhul, north of Hebron. It is built on Mount Nabi Yunus, the highest peak in the West Bank, Palestine.

  • Yunus (عليه السلام) is mentioned by name 4 times in the Quran.
  • Yunus (عليه السلام) is also addressed by two other surnames “Dhun-Nun” (Lord of the Fish) and “Sahibil-Hot” (Companion of the Fish). The Quran says:“And (mention) Dhun-Nun when he went off in anger and deemed that We had no power over him but he cried out in darkness, saying: There is no god save Thee. Be Thou glorified! Lo! I have been an evil-doer.” [11:87]“But wait thou for thy Lord’s decree and be not like the Sahibil-Hut who cried out in fear.” [68:48]
  • When Prophethood was conferred upon Yunus (عليه السلام), he was commanded to go Nineveh for preaching the truth. Nineveh was situated on the right bank of the river Tigris in ancient Assyria, across the river from the modern-day major city of Mosul, Iraq.
The tomb of Prophet Yunus (عليه السلام) inside the mosque
The tomb of Prophet Yunus (عليه السلام) inside the mosque – Photo: Y.Isap
  • When Yunus (عليه السلام) departed from his people he stayed at Jaffa in Palestine and boarded a ship to take him to Tirshish, where Tunisia is located today. It was during this journey that he was thrown overboard and swallowed by the fish.
  • Ibn Abu Hatim has transmitted a hadith from Rasulullah (ﷺ): When Prophet Yunus (عليه السلام) was in the belly of the fish it appeared to him that he should say,“O Allah, there is no God other than You. Glory be to You. Surely I am of the wrongdoers.” [Quran 21:8]
  • This prayer is found beneath the Throne. The angels said to Allah, “O Lord! A faint known voice from a strange land (is detected).” He asked them, “Do you not recognise it?”, “No, O Lord. Who is he?”. He said, “My slave, Yunus.”
Mehrab in the mosque of Yunus (عليه السلام).
Mehrab in the mosque of Yunus (عليه السلام) – Photo: Y.Isap
  • Yunus (عليه السلام) is also claimed to be buried in Mosul, Iraq.

References:  Atlas of the Quran – Dr. Shauqi Abu Khalili, Islam101.com, Wikipedia

Note that this entry has been shown for information purposes only. On no account should anybody pray to a grave or seek supplication through them as this is tantamount to committing shirk, associating partners with Allah (ﷻ)

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