How many days did Yunus (Alayhi al- Salam) stay in the fish?

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.

The Mufassiroon (exegetes) have differed on the time duration of Hadhrat Yunus (Alayhi al- Salam)’s stay in the belly of the fish.

According to Hadhrat Imam Qatadah (Rahmatullahi Alayhi), Hadhrat Imam Muqatil Bin Hibban(Rahmatullahi Alayhi) and others, Hadhrat Yunus (Alayhi al- Salam) stayed in the belly of the fish for three days.[1]

According to Hadhrat Imam Ja’far al- Sadiq (Rahmatullahi Alayhi), Hadhrat Imam Atha (Rahmatullahi Alayhi), Hadhrat Sa’eed Bin Jubair (Rahmatullahi Alayhi) and others, Hadhrat Yunus (Alayhi al- Salam) stayed in the belly of the fish for seven days.[2]

According to Hadhrat Abu Malik (Rahmatullahi Alayhi), Hadhrat Imam Muqatil Bin Sulayman (Rahmatullahi Alayhi) and many senior Mufassireen and Muhadditheen, Hadhrat Yunus (Alayhi al- Salam) stayed in the belly of the fish for forty days.[3]

According to Hadhrat Imam Mujahid and Sha’bi (Rahmatullahi Alayhim), Hadhrat Yunus (Alayhi al- Salam) was swallowed by the fish in the morning and released in the evening of the same day he was swallowed by the fish.[4]

According to Hadhrat Imam Dhahhak (Rahmatullahi Alayhi), Hadhrat Yunus (Alayhi al- Salam) stayed in the belly of the fish for twenty days.[5]

And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best

Ismail Desai,

Checked and Approved by,

Mufti Ebrahim Desai.