بِسْمِ ٱللَّٰهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

The Prophet Yunus ( عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ, AS ) or Dhun-Nun or known by the Christians as Jonah, is widely known for the story of him being in the belly of the whale. In the Muslim world it is widely named as the supplication of Prophet Yunus (AS). Whilst being inside the whale, Prophet Yunus constantly supplicated to Allah asking for forgiveness and guidance.

The dua is recorded in the Holy Quran in surah al-Anbiya, verse 87:

And ˹remember˺ when the Man of the Whale stormed off ˹from his city˺ in a rage, thinking We would not restrain him.¹ Then in the ˹veils of˺ darkness² he cried out, “There is no god ˹worthy of worship˺ except You. Glory be to You! I have certainly done wrong.”

And notice Allah’s word in the following verse 88:

So We answered his prayer and rescued him from anguish. And so do We save the ˹true˺ believers.

Now lets look at the Hadith from The Prophet Muhammad ( ﷺ ).

The Hadith regarding the supplication of Prophet Yunus (AS)

حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى، حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يُوسُفَ، حَدَّثَنَا يُونُسُ بْنُ أَبِي إِسْحَاقَ، عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ سَعْدٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ سَعْدٍ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ “‏ دَعْوَةُ ذِي النُّونِ إِذْ دَعَا وَهُوَ فِي بَطْنِ الْحُوتِ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ أَنْتَ سُبْحَانَكَ إِنِّي كُنْتُ مِنَ الظَّالِمِينَ ‏.‏ فَإِنَّهُ لَمْ يَدْعُ بِهَا رَجُلٌ مُسْلِمٌ فِي شَيْءٍ قَطُّ إِلاَّ اسْتَجَابَ اللَّهُ لَهُ ‏”‏ ‏.‏

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “The supplication of Dhun-Nun (Prophet Yunus) when he supplicated, while in the belly of the whale was: ‘There is none worthy of worship except You, Glory to You, Indeed, I have been of the transgressors. (Lā ilāha illā anta subḥānaka innī kuntu minaẓ-ẓālimīn)’ So indeed, no Muslim man supplicates with it for anything, ever, except Allah responds to him.”

Source: Jami` at-Tirmidhi 3505

Narrated by: Ibrahim bin Muhammad bin Sad narrated from his father, from Sad.

The dua extracted from the Hadith and its meaning

لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ أَنْتَ سُبْحَانَكَ إِنِّي كُنْتُ مِنَ الظَّالِمِينَ

Lā ilāha illā anta subḥānaka innī kuntu minaẓ-ẓālimīn

There is no god ˹worthy of worship˺ except You. Glory be to You! I have certainly done wrong.

Recitation video for the supplication of Prophet Yunus (AS)

Conclusion

This dua is good go to supplication when you are in distress such as when the Prophet Yunus (AS) was in. It is also a good dua to recite when you are in need or want something from Allah as the Prophet Muhammad ( ﷺ ) said in the Hadith that Allah shall respond whomever supplicates with the dua taught above.

As always, do share this piece of article out to all of your family and friends. Remember to memorize, recite and teach it to as many people as you can. May it be one of the long lasting good deeds that rewards us well. Here in this world and in the hereafter, InsyaAllah.