Did Jesus Redeem Mankind? — Page 220
? 213 In the same way, the Messiah was commanded to go to a foreign land lying in the east and deliver the message there. Again, it appears from the story of Jonah that God had forced him to go to that country; he had in fact fled from there wishing not to go to Nineveh. God, however, forced him back to Nineveh. Similarly, the prophecy indicated that God will force the Messiah out of his country to a foreign land and deliver the message through him to the lost sheep of the Jews. And further that when he would go there, people would receive him well and accept his claim. What befell the Prophet Jonah was this: he entered the fish's belly, he remained in the belly of the fish for three nights and days and then the fish disgorged him on land and when he recovered, Allah commanded him to go forth to Nineveh and deliver to the Ninevites His message. Thus it dawned on him that he could not run away from the situation, howsoever, he might try, that he had to abide by the Will of God. Accordingly, he returned and communicated to the Ninevites the Divine message. At first they offered a mild opposition but, as soon as signs of Divine punishment became evident, they believed.