The famous dua of Yunus (AS) is well known as follows:

   اَ لّٓ إِلَٰ هٓ إِ اَ لّٓ أ ن تٓ سُبْ حن كٓ إِن ى كُنتُٓ مِ نٓ لِمِي نٓ

ََٰ ٱلظ

La ilaha illa anta subhanaka inni kuntu minaz-zalimin (surah al -anbiya 21:87)

“Thereٓ isٓ noneٓ worthy of worship except You, Glory to You, Indeed, I have been of the

transgressors.”

“Thereٓ isٓ noneٓ worthyٓ ofٓ worshipٓ exceptٓ You.ٓ Gloryٓ toٓ You.”

Yunus (as) prayed to Allah (swt) this dua when he was in the belly of the whale as he recognised the mistake he had made. This itself is a big thing, recognizing when you are in the wrong, unfortunatelyٓ manyٓ peopleٓ don’tٓ acknowledgeٓ theyٓ haveٓ wrongedٓ letٓ aloneٓ askٓ forgiveness.

The beauty of Yunus (as) story is what he does, which he turns to Allah (swt) as he knows there is no one who can help except the all mighty. In life one will recognise eventually at some point, that Allah (swt) is the only one.

The dua can be analyzed by breaking it down into three parts:

1) La ilaha illa anta – (There is none worthy of Worship beside you) – this is the expression oneness of Allah – Tawheed. All prophets who were sent to this earth came with the message of worshiping Allah (swt) alone. This zikr alone has huge benefits and are heavy on the scales.

2) Subhanaka – (Glorification of Allah swt) – There are many benefits of reciting this phase alone, it is the most dearest words to Allah (swt).

3) Inni kuntu minaz-zalimin – [Surely, I am from among the wrongdoers] – this acknowledges the sin , wrong doing or mistake – Allah (swt) loves those who turn to him and repent and purify themselves, a person who constantly repents are the blessed with Allah (swt) mercy, kindness and will receive tranquility in their lives.

All the above shows a person who recite this small supplication constantly and sincerely Allah (swt) will surely assist you in relieving your distress, worries and all problems you face.

Important lesson from Yunus (as) story is to ask ourselves what exactly did he do wrong that he found himself in this situation can us say he committed a major sin, was he corrupt or did he oppress people the answer is he did none of this. He made a mistake of not being patient enough with his people are we patient with our parents, children, families and others the answer mostly like is no.

The benefits of doing a lot of istighfar:

Ibn Abbas (May Allah be pleased with them) said: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said,

“Ifٓ anyoneٓ constantlyٓ seeksٓ pardonٓ (fromٓ Allah),ٓ Allahٓ willٓ appointٓ forٓ him a way out of every

distress and a relief from every anxiety and will provide sustenance for him from where he expectsٓ not.”ٓ [Abuٓ Dawud].

In another Hadith, Abdullah bin Abbas (May Allah be pleased with them) narrates that Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) said:

“Theٓ oneٓ whoٓ (regularly)ٓ saysٓ Istighfaar,ٓ thatٓ is,ٓ frequentlyٓ repentٓ toٓ Allahٓ Ta’aalaٓ forٓ sinsٓ

committed, Allah Azza Wa-Jal will open a path from poverty and difficulties. All sorrow and hardship will be removed, and in its place prosperity and contentment granted. One will receive sustenanceٓ fromٓ unimaginedٓ andٓ unexpectedٓ sources.”

The reason why I chose: This is the Dua that every one of us should memorise, we should be saying over and over again. This is the Dua of Yunus (alayhissalam). This Dua is used at any type of problem, worry or distress. The multitudes of darkness that Yunus was enveloped was far greater than any of our stresses: financial, family or marital.

This short dua also encompasses the concept of tawheed, one of the most basic tenets of Islam. By saying this dua, we are consciously and deliberately declaring that Allah (swt) is the only deity, the exalted. We then show our humility by admitting our faults and weakness.

We have fallen short in worshipping Allah, in thanking Allah, in abstaining from the haraam, in the rights of others, in being good parents, in being honest and kind, and the list goes on. Everyone of us is a dhaalim, so we should admit to Allah in these beautiful phrases uttered by Yunus (alayhissalam). We must negative arrogance and admit to being the sinful servant of Allah, for the worst sin in the Eyes of Allah is arrogance.

This is one of the most optimistic verses in the whole Quran: This Dua saves us from our distresses, any darkness or cloud in our life. Any issue that is troubling us, any anxiety or grief, this Dua will save us.Realise that the combination of tawheed (faith in the Oneness of Allah) and istighfar (seeking forgiveness) is a common motif of the Quran.

Allahٓ saidٓ inٓ theٓ Quran:ٓ “Knowٓ that La ilaaha il-Allah, and then seek forgiveness for your own

sin”.ٓ Heٓ saysٓ again,ٓ “Soٓ beٓ firmٓ ontoٓ Himٓ andٓ seekٓ Hisٓ forgiveness,”ٓ i.e.ٓ beٓ firmٓ withٓ theٓ

kalimah, and seek forgiveness for your own sin.

Sabr and patience is one thing that we all need to learn how to do. You have to go through life withٓ Sabr,ٓ nowٓ everybodyٓ Iٓ amٓ goingٓ toٓ askٓ youٓ toٓ doٓ oneٓ thing,ٓ thatٓ isٓ “SABR”.

Itٓ isٓ easyٓ toٓ sayٓ “Sabr”ٓ butٓ toٓ actٓ uponٓ sabrٓ takesٓ youٓ aٓ lifetime,ٓ halfٓ aٓ lifetime, years, patience

does not come with words. You have to take people through Sabr, I will tell you another thing that you can do a lot of good things in life.

There are great stories of the Anbiya (Prophets), every single prophet went through affliction and all their afflictions are in the Quran. And from their afflictions you say the same dua that they used in their affliction, you will be able to find relief as well.

When the walls of reality are closing in on us and all the doors seem shut, just like the narrow andٓ utterٓ darknessٓ ofٓ theٓ whale’sٓ belly,ٓ thisٓ isٓ aٓ Duaٓ toٓ reciteٓ withٓ theٓ intentionٓ toٓ findٓ aٓ wayٓ outٓ

and realign ourselves in the path.

May Allah s.w.t. guide us in all corners of our lives, give us the strength to amend our ways and bless us with His love and mercy.