سُوْرَةُ الصَّافَّاتِ

Surah As-Saaffaat (37) — Ayah 142

Those drawn up in Ranks · Meccan · Juz 23 · Page 451

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فَٱلْتَقَمَهُ ٱلْحُوتُ وَهُوَ مُلِيمٌ ﴿142﴾

Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali

Then a (big) fish swallowed him as he had done an act worthy of blame.

Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning

فَٱلْتَقَمَهُ fal-taqamahu Then swallowed him
ٱلْحُوتُ l-ḥūtu the fish
وَهُوَ wahuwa while he
مُلِيمٌۭ mulīmun (was) blameworthy

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 142) {فَالْتَقَمَهُ الْحُوْتُ وَ هُوَ مُلِيْمٌ: ’’ الْحُوْتُ ‘‘ } Fish. Most often, a large fish is called {’’حُوت‘‘}. {’’ مُلِيْمٌ ‘‘ ’’أَلَامَ يُلِيْمُ‘‘} (af‘aal) To do a blameworthy act, to become deserving of blame. {’’ مُلِيْمٌ ‘‘} Deserving of blame, whether he is actually blamed or not. When Yunus (peace be upon him) was thrown into the sea, by Allah’s command a large fish swallowed him whole and unharmed. He was deserving of blame because he had left his people without Allah’s permission.

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.

142. 1. Hazrat Yunus (علیہ السلام) was sent as a prophet to the region of Nineveh in Iraq (present-day Mosul), which was the capital of the Assyrians. They had taken one hundred thousand Banu Israel as captives, so for their guidance and direction, Allah sent Hazrat Yunus (علیہ السلام) to them. However, this nation did not believe in him. Eventually, he warned his people that soon you will be seized by the punishment of Allah. When the punishment was delayed, he left there on his own without Allah’s permission and went to the sea, boarding a ship. His departure from his area was described with such a word as when a slave runs away from his master. Because he too left his people without Allah’s permission. The ship was full of passengers and goods. The ship got caught in the waves of the sea and came to a halt. So, in order to lighten the load, the suggestion was made to throw one or two people into the sea so that the lives of the other passengers could be saved. But no one was willing to sacrifice themselves, so a draw had to be held, in which Hazrat Yunus (علیہ السلام)’s name came up. And he became among the subdued, meaning willingly or unwillingly, he had to surrender himself to the waves of the sea like a runaway slave. Meanwhile, Allah commanded the fish to swallow him whole, and thus Hazrat Yunus (علیہ السلام), by Allah’s command, went into the belly of the fish.

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.

142. So the fish swallowed him [83] while he was blameworthy [84].

[83] The meaning of ﴿مُلِيْمٌ﴾ is that person whose own conscience is reproaching him, acknowledging that he is truly at fault, whether anyone else reproaches him or not. Sayyiduna Yunus (peace be upon him) realized his ijtihadi mistake immediately after fleeing, and when his name kept coming up in the drawing of lots, he became certain of it.

[84] Thus, after entering the belly of the fish, he became engaged in repentance and seeking forgiveness before his Lord. In the darkness of the fish’s belly, his constant supplication was ﴿لاَ اِلٰهَ الآَ أنْتَ سُبْحَانَكَ إنِّيْ كُنْتُ مِنَ الظّٰلِميْن﴾, as mentioned in Surah Al-Anbiya, verse 87. If he had not continued to recite these words of glorification, he would have remained in the belly of the fish forever, meaning he would have become its food and been digested within its body.
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