Beyond Darkness

As-salaamu ‘alaykum warahmatullaahi wabarakatuh,

 

 

When the story of Yunus (‘alayhi salaam) is narrated to us in the Qur’aan it mentions about how he was in darkness.

 

Allaah (exalted and glorified be he) says:

 

وَذَا النُّونِ إِذ ذَّهَبَ مُغَاضِبًا فَظَنَّ أَن لَّن نَّقْدِرَ عَلَيْهِ فَنَادَى فِي الظُّلُمَاتِ أَن لَّا إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنتَ سُبْحَانَكَ إِنِّي كُنتُ مِنَ الظَّالِمِينَ

And (remember) Jonah, when he went off in anger, and imagined that We shall not punish him (i.e. the calamites which had befallen him)! but he cried through the darkness (saying): None has the right to be worshipped but You (O Allah), Glorified (and Exalted) are You [above all that (evil) they associate with You]. Truly, I have been of the wrong-doers.” [Al-Anbiyaa:87]

 

In this ayah, the plural of dhulma (dhulumaat) is used. So why is darkness in the arabic language a plural? Because the darkness that had engulfed him(‘alayhi salaam) refers to several darkness. The darkness of the night, the darkness of the sea and the darkness of the belly of the fish. It is almost an emphasis on just how dark it is, for indeed if the singular  was used then it would carry a different meaning.

 

May Allaah grant us Ilmu Naafi (beneficial knowledge), Aameen.

 

                                            

Tafseer Ibn Katheer

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