Jonah (pbuh) is considered a prophet in the Abrahamic faiths. Jonah was sent by God to the people of Nineveh to prophecy its destruction to the people. However, Jonah (pbuh) tried to escape his divine mission. He ended up on a boat sailing to Tarshish, when a huge storm started to shake the water. He confessed to his fellow passengers that his disobedience towards God had caused the storm. He insisted that they threw him overboard.

After being thrown into the water, Jonah (pbuh) was swallowed by a large fish. He remained there, in its belly, for three days and three nights, repenting to God for his mistake. God then commanded the fish to release Jonah and granted him a second chance to complete his mission.

Jonah went into the city, crying “In forty days Nineveh shall be overthrown.” The people miraculously believed Jonah and repented for their wrongdoing. God forgave the people of Nineveh and the punishment was lifted from them.

The story of Prophet Jonah is one which reminds us of God’s mercy and His desire to see goodness for humanity. Prophet Jonah has returned today as a companion of the Qa’im and is one of the planets of the Second Mahdi Aba Al-Sadiq (fhip).