سُوْرَةُ يُوْنُسَ
Surah Yunus (10) — Ayah 98
فَلَوْلَا كَانَتْ قَرْيَةٌ ءَامَنَتْ فَنَفَعَهَآ إِيمَـٰنُهَآ إِلَّا قَوْمَ يُونُسَ لَمَّآ ءَامَنُوا۟ كَشَفْنَا عَنْهُمْ عَذَابَ ٱلْخِزْىِ فِى ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنْيَا وَمَتَّعْنَـٰهُمْ إِلَىٰ حِينٍ ﴿98﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Was there any town (community) that believed (after seeing the punishment), and its Faith (at that moment) saved it (from the punishment)? (The answer is none) - except the people of Yûnus (Jonah); when they believed, We removed from them the torment of disgrace in the life of the (present) world, and permitted them to enjoy for a while.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
فَلَوْلَا
falawlā
So why not
كَانَتْ
kānat
was
قَرْيَةٌ
qaryatun
any town
ءَامَنَتْ
āmanat
that believed
فَنَفَعَهَآ
fanafaʿahā
and benefited it
إِيمَـٰنُهَآ
īmānuhā
its faith
إِلَّا
illā
except
قَوْمَ
qawma
the people
يُونُسَ
yūnusa
(of) Yunus
لَمَّآ
lammā
When
ءَامَنُوا۟
āmanū
they believed
كَشَفْنَا
kashafnā
We removed
عَنْهُمْ
ʿanhum
from them
عَذَابَ
ʿadhāba
(the) punishment
ٱلْخِزْىِ
l-khiz'yi
(of) the disgrace
فِى
fī
in
ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ
l-ḥayati
the life
ٱلدُّنْيَا
l-dun'yā
of the world
وَمَتَّعْنَـٰهُمْ
wamattaʿnāhum
and We granted them enjoyment
إِلَىٰ
ilā
for
حِينٍۢ
ḥīnin
a time
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim — Hafiz Abdus Salam Bin Muhammad Bhutvi
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim is a 4-volume Quran commentary by Hafiz Abdus Salam bin Muhammad Bhutvi, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar and Sheikh ul-Hadith from Pakistan. Based on over 45 years of teaching and research, this tafsir follows the methodology of Tafsir bil-Ma'thur — interpreting the Quran through authentic Hadith, statements of the Companions, and the understanding of the early generations (Salaf). It is distinguished by its complete avoidance of Israeliyyat (Judeo-Christian narratives) and unverified reports. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
(Ayah 98) ➊ {فَلَوْ لَا كَانَتْ قَرْيَةٌ اٰمَنَتْ فَنَفَعَهَاۤ اِيْمَانُهَاۤ … :} That is, why was there not a single town which, upon being warned of the punishment by a messenger, became fearful and believed before the punishment came, so that its faith would benefit it? But there was no such town; all of them only believed when Allah’s punishment came upon them. Except for the people of Yunus (peace be upon him): despite Yunus (peace be upon him) inviting them for many years, when they did not believe, Yunus (peace be upon him) supplicated for punishment against them and informed them that punishment was about to come upon them, and he himself left the place in anger. See Surah Al-Anbiya (87) and As-Saffat (140). The people knew that Yunus had never lied; his departure made them even more fearful, so before the punishment came, the entire town repented from disbelief with great humility and believed in Yunus (peace be upon him). Now, since this faith was timely, before witnessing the punishment, this faith benefited them in that the punishment was removed from them, and Allah gave them the opportunity to benefit from worldly life until their natural lifespan. In the last verses of Surah As-Saffat, their belief and its benefit are also mentioned.
➋ This is a warning to the disbelievers of Quraysh and the People of the Book that they should take a lesson from the people of Yunus (peace be upon him) and believe before the punishment comes, and not follow in the footsteps of Pharaoh’s people and other destroyed nations.
➌ In Tafsir Qasimi, it is stated that the claim that the clouds of punishment had arrived, darkness had spread, and then they repented, is not mentioned anywhere in the Qur’an or Hadith, nor is punishment ever averted after it has arrived.
➋ This is a warning to the disbelievers of Quraysh and the People of the Book that they should take a lesson from the people of Yunus (peace be upon him) and believe before the punishment comes, and not follow in the footsteps of Pharaoh’s people and other destroyed nations.
➌ In Tafsir Qasimi, it is stated that the claim that the clouds of punishment had arrived, darkness had spread, and then they repented, is not mentioned anywhere in the Qur’an or Hadith, nor is punishment ever averted after it has arrived.
Tafsir Ahsan al-Bayan — Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf
Tafsir Ahsan al-Bayan is a well-known Quran commentary by Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. This tafsir explains the meanings of the Quran in accordance with the methodology of the Salaf (early righteous generations), relying on authentic sources and straightforward language. Due to its reliability and adherence to sound Islamic scholarship, the Saudi government publishes and distributes this tafsir among the Hujjaj (pilgrims) visiting the Haramain. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
98. 1. Here "لولا" is for urging, in the sense of "ھلا", meaning: Why was there not a single town among those towns which We destroyed, that believed in such a way that it would have benefited them? Yes, only the people of Yunus were such that when they believed, Allah removed the punishment from them. The brief background is that when Yunus ﷺ saw that his preaching and invitation were not affecting his people, he announced among his people that on such and such day, punishment would come upon them, and he himself left from there. When the punishment came upon them like a cloud, they gathered in a field with their women and children and began to repent and seek forgiveness in the court of Allah. Allah accepted their repentance and removed the punishment from them. Yunus ﷺ used to inquire about the condition of his people from passing travelers; when he learned that Allah had removed the punishment from his people, he did not like to go back to that people after his prediction was falsified, but, being displeased with them, he set off in another direction, upon which the incident of the boat occurred (the details of which will come at its place). However, there is a difference of opinion among the commentators as to when the people of Yunus believed: did they believe after seeing the punishment, when belief is not beneficial? But Allah made them an exception to His law and accepted their belief. Or had the punishment not yet come, meaning that stage had not yet arrived when belief is not beneficial. But the exception of the people of Yunus in the Qur'an with "الا" supports the first interpretation. And Allah knows best.
98. 2. The Qur'an has explicitly mentioned the removal of worldly punishment, but has not explicitly mentioned the Hereafter's punishment; therefore, according to some commentators, the punishment of the Hereafter was not removed from them. But when the Qur'an has clarified that the worldly punishment was averted because of their belief, then there is no need to explicitly mention the punishment of the Hereafter. Because the decision of the punishment of the Hereafter is based on belief and disbelief. If, after believing, the people of Yunus remained firm on their belief, then surely they would also be safe from the punishment of the Hereafter. Otherwise, being saved from punishment would be limited only to this world.
98. 2. The Qur'an has explicitly mentioned the removal of worldly punishment, but has not explicitly mentioned the Hereafter's punishment; therefore, according to some commentators, the punishment of the Hereafter was not removed from them. But when the Qur'an has clarified that the worldly punishment was averted because of their belief, then there is no need to explicitly mention the punishment of the Hereafter. Because the decision of the punishment of the Hereafter is based on belief and disbelief. If, after believing, the people of Yunus remained firm on their belief, then surely they would also be safe from the punishment of the Hereafter. Otherwise, being saved from punishment would be limited only to this world.
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran — Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran (Facilitation of the Quran) is a comprehensive Quran commentary by Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. Known for his eloquent and accessible writing style, Kilani authored this tafsir with a focus on clarity — making Quranic meanings understandable to the common reader. The tafsir provides detailed historical context for verses related to battles and expeditions, and firmly refutes modernist ideologies using strong scriptural evidence. It is widely regarded as an invaluable resource for understanding the Quran and countering deviant interpretations. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
98. So, is there any example, apart from the people of Yunus, of a community that believed (after seeing the punishment) and its faith benefited it? When they believed, We removed from them the disgraceful punishment in the life of this world [106] and allowed them to enjoy life for a while.
[106]
The Center of Propagation of Sayyiduna Yunusؑ: Nineveh
The mention of Sayyiduna Yunusؑ appears here for the first time, and probably for this reason, this surah is named Surah Yunus. However, his mention will also come in summary at three other places ahead: in Surah Anbiya, verses 87–88; in Surah Saffat, verses 139 to 148; and in Surah Qalam, verses 48 to 50. He was sent to the people of Nineveh approximately eight hundred years before Christ. At that time, Nineveh was a very large and flourishing city on the bank of the river Tigris, and the ruins of this city are found directly opposite the present city of Mosul (Iraq). This very city was the capital of the Assyrians (the people of Yunus), and from its ruins, it is estimated that the city was spread over about sixty square miles.
The Flight of Yunusؑ and the Averting of Punishment
The Assyrians were also idolaters. Sayyiduna Yunusؑ preached to them and conveyed Allah’s message for seven years, but it had no effect on them, and they remained determined in their denial and opposition to their prophet. Regarding such rebellious and stubborn people, the established practice of Allah is that He sends punishment upon them and destroys them, and the prophets have always warned their rebellious nations of such punishment. Sayyiduna Yunusؑ, having become disappointed and distressed with these people, threatened them with the coming of punishment at a fixed time (according to some narrations, after 3 days, and according to others, after forty days), even though threatening with punishment at a fixed time is against the established practice of Allah. Still, the people paid no heed, and when only a day or so remained until the promised time of punishment and no signs of punishment appeared, Sayyiduna Yunusؑ departed from there without Allah’s permission, fearing that the punishment might not come and he would be proven false in the eyes of the people. Although leaving in this manner without divine command was against Allah’s pleasure, in order to prove him truthful, the punishment did come at the appointed time: black clouds covered the sky, and dark smoke began to move toward the homes of the people. At that time, the people began searching for Sayyiduna Yunusؑ, and when they could not find him, they gathered together in a vast field with their families and even their animals, confessed their sins before Allah, and began to weep and wail. They exaggerated so much in their lamentation that Allah accepted their repentance and saved them from the punishment that was to befall them. This is the only exceptional example in the established practice of Allah where the coming punishment upon a nation was averted.
Reasons for the Averting of Punishment
Here, the question arises: why was this exceptional and distinctive treatment shown to this nation? The answer is that this distinctive treatment also occurred according to another law of Allah, which was that Sayyiduna Yunusؑ left them without divine command, and the time for the completion of proof upon them had not yet been fulfilled. Another reason could be that the way these people wept and repented before Allah, no nation had ever done so before.
[106]
The Center of Propagation of Sayyiduna Yunusؑ: Nineveh
The mention of Sayyiduna Yunusؑ appears here for the first time, and probably for this reason, this surah is named Surah Yunus. However, his mention will also come in summary at three other places ahead: in Surah Anbiya, verses 87–88; in Surah Saffat, verses 139 to 148; and in Surah Qalam, verses 48 to 50. He was sent to the people of Nineveh approximately eight hundred years before Christ. At that time, Nineveh was a very large and flourishing city on the bank of the river Tigris, and the ruins of this city are found directly opposite the present city of Mosul (Iraq). This very city was the capital of the Assyrians (the people of Yunus), and from its ruins, it is estimated that the city was spread over about sixty square miles.
The Flight of Yunusؑ and the Averting of Punishment
The Assyrians were also idolaters. Sayyiduna Yunusؑ preached to them and conveyed Allah’s message for seven years, but it had no effect on them, and they remained determined in their denial and opposition to their prophet. Regarding such rebellious and stubborn people, the established practice of Allah is that He sends punishment upon them and destroys them, and the prophets have always warned their rebellious nations of such punishment. Sayyiduna Yunusؑ, having become disappointed and distressed with these people, threatened them with the coming of punishment at a fixed time (according to some narrations, after 3 days, and according to others, after forty days), even though threatening with punishment at a fixed time is against the established practice of Allah. Still, the people paid no heed, and when only a day or so remained until the promised time of punishment and no signs of punishment appeared, Sayyiduna Yunusؑ departed from there without Allah’s permission, fearing that the punishment might not come and he would be proven false in the eyes of the people. Although leaving in this manner without divine command was against Allah’s pleasure, in order to prove him truthful, the punishment did come at the appointed time: black clouds covered the sky, and dark smoke began to move toward the homes of the people. At that time, the people began searching for Sayyiduna Yunusؑ, and when they could not find him, they gathered together in a vast field with their families and even their animals, confessed their sins before Allah, and began to weep and wail. They exaggerated so much in their lamentation that Allah accepted their repentance and saved them from the punishment that was to befall them. This is the only exceptional example in the established practice of Allah where the coming punishment upon a nation was averted.
Reasons for the Averting of Punishment
Here, the question arises: why was this exceptional and distinctive treatment shown to this nation? The answer is that this distinctive treatment also occurred according to another law of Allah, which was that Sayyiduna Yunusؑ left them without divine command, and the time for the completion of proof upon them had not yet been fulfilled. Another reason could be that the way these people wept and repented before Allah, no nation had ever done so before.
