Story of Prophet Jonah originates from Sumerian civilization, says Iraqi researcher

BAGHDAD — Iraqi researcher Dr. Khazal al-Majidi, in an interview with RT Arabic, stated that the story of the Prophet Jonah, or Yunus, was adopted by the Abrahamic religions from the Sumerian civilization, the inheritors of which are the Chaldean–Syriac–Assyrian people.

He added that the Chaldean–Syriac–Assyrian civilizations were known to record the details of their history and beliefs in detail.

“Enki, the Sumerian god of water, had an assistant called Awanis (Uanis); the lower part of his body was scaly like fish, and the upper part was human,” he declared.

The image of Awanis (Uanis) on ancient Sumerian monuments was possibly interpreted by Judaism, Christianity, and Islam as a fish swallowing a human being and recording their interpretation in their Holy books as the story of Prophet Jonah who was swallowed by a whale for three days.

In the story, God saves Jonah, who then travelled to Nineveh and urged the people there to repent.