Tale of Jonah’s people

History bears witness that people find it hard to believe until some affliction strikes them. As and when affliction strikes them in one form or another, they get to believe, however belief in the face of adversity may be of no avail. In a study of history of religions, people of Jonah {Hazrat Younis (A.S)} remain an exception, as entailed:

‘’If only there was one town that believed and benefited by its belief, except for the people of Jonah. When they believed, We removed from them the suffering of disgrace, in the worldly life, and We gave them comfort for a while’’ (10:98)

It is related that Jonah left his people thinking that they were doomed, unless they believed. They reasoned and reflected. And, professed belief before chastisement overtook them. They were thus saved from disgrace, which they would have otherwise faced, had they not believed, and adhered to faith. Their belief before any calamity struck them provided them comfort for a while, which could be taken to mean as long the belief, the faith lasted.

It follows thus that even in the all-important matter of belief and faith, freedom of choice is the norm—the divine norm. Otherwise, it was not beyond Almighty God to make people who dwell on earth to believe:

‘’Had your Lord willed, everyone on earth would have believed. Will you compel people to be believers’’ (10:99)

If human beings had not been endowed with freedom of choice, all those who dwell on earth would have been made to believe. Keeping in view the divine norm, the message contained in Holy Quran puts a question to the messenger—Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) that given the divine norm, will you compel people to be believers? Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) carried the message of belief and faith, it was left to people to reason and reflect.