What Was Yunus's Supplication Inside the Whale?
ما هو دعاء يونس عليه السلام في بطن الحوت؟
"La ilaha illa Anta, none has the right to be worshipped but You, Glorified and Exalted are You above all that they associate with You. Truly, I have been of the wrongdoers."
(And remember when the Man of the Whale stormed off from his city in a rage, thinking We would not restrain him. Then in the veils of darkness, he cried out, "There is no god worthy of worship except You. Glory be to You! I have certainly done wrong." So We answered his prayer and rescued him from anguish. And so do We save the true believers.) (Al-Anbiya 21:87)
(لَّا إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا أَنتَ سُبْحَانَكَ إِنِّي كُنتُ مِنَ الظَّالِمِينَ)
(وَذَا النُّونِ إِذ ذَّهَبَ مُغَاضِبًا فَظَنَّ أَن لَّن نَّقْدِرَ عَلَيْهِ فَنَادَىٰ فِي الظُّلُمَاتِ أَن لَّا إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا أَنتَ سُبْحَانَكَ إِنِّي كُنتُ مِنَ الظَّالِمِينَ) الأنبياء 21: 87
1. A Dua the Prophet Muhammad Recommended for Any Distress | دعاءٌ أوصى به النبي محمد لكل كرب
Beyond its place in Yunus's own story, this exact supplication carries a distinct authenticated hadith of its own: the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, said, "The supplication of Dhun-Nun 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.' No Muslim ever supplicates with it for anything except that Allah responds to him" (recorded in Sunan al-Tirmidhi, 3505, graded authentic by Al-Albani). This turns a single prophet's private cry for help into a supplication recommended for any believer in hardship.
إلى جانب موضعه في قصة يونس نفسها، يحمل هذا الدعاء بعينه حديثًا صحيحًا مستقلًا: قال النبي محمد صلى الله عليه وسلم: "دعوة ذي النون إذ دعا بها وهو في بطن الحوت: لا إله إلا أنت سبحانك إني كنت من الظالمين، فإنه لم يدعُ بها رجلٌ مسلمٌ في شيءٍ قط إلا استجاب الله له" (رواه الترمذي، رقم 3505، وصححه الألباني). فتحوّل نداء نبيٍّ خاص إلى دعاءٍ يوصى به لكل مؤمنٍ في شدة.
2. Confession Before Request | الاعتراف قبل الطلب
Notably, the dua contains no direct request at all, only Allah's oneness affirmed and Yunus's own wrongdoing confessed. The rescue that followed came as a response to sincere tawheed and honest self-accountability rather than to a specific plea, a pattern examined further in how Allah delivered Yunus from the whale's belly.
من اللافت أن الدعاء لا يتضمن طلبًا مباشرًا على الإطلاق، بل توحيدًا لله واعترافًا بالخطأ فقط. وجاء الإنقاذ استجابةً لصدق التوحيد والمحاسبة الذاتية، لا لطلبٍ محدد.
Frequently Asked Questions | الأسئلة الشائعة
What did Yunus say inside the whale?
"There is no god but You, glory be to You, I have certainly done wrong."
Did the Prophet Muhammad say anything about this dua?
Yes, an authenticated hadith records him saying no Muslim ever supplicates with it in distress except Allah responds.