The Story of Prophet Jonah (Yunus): A Comparative Analysis

The figure of the prophet Jonah (Yunus in Islamic tradition) occupies a distinctive position in both the Hebrew Bible and the Qur’an, serving as a shared narrative through which each scripture articulates key theological principles. This study offers a comparative analysis of the biblical Book of Jonah and the Qur’anic passages that reference Yunus, focusing on narrative structure, prophetic characterization, and the relationship between divine mercy and human responsibility. While both traditions recount the prophet’s divine commission, flight, ordeal within a great fish, and the repentance of his people, they diverge in their portrayal of prophetic disobedience, the nature of prayer, and the ultimate theological lesson drawn from the episode. Beyond scriptural comparison, the article examines the reception of the Jonah/Yunus narrative in English and Persian literary traditions, where the story functions as a powerful metaphor for existential crisis, repentance, and spiritual transformation. By tracing these literary adaptations, the study demonstrates how the shared scriptural core of the Jonah/Yunus narrative continues to generate new theological, ethical, and symbolic meanings across religious and cultural boundaries.

کلیدواژه ها:

Jonah ، Yunus ، Comparative Religion ، Qur’an ، Hebrew Bible ، Literary Reception ، Divine Mercy