# Dua of Prophet Yunus (AS) for Distress: Arabic, Engl… | UKPT > The dua Prophet Yunus (AS) recited from inside the belly of the whale — the dua Allah promises to answer for any believer in distress. Arabic,… *Source: https://prayer-times.co.uk/blog/dua-of-yunus-for-distress · Independent, free UK prayer times.* --- Daily Duas · 2nd May 2026 · 4 min read ·Kaiser Khan # Dua of Prophet Yunus (AS) for Distress: Arabic, English Meaning & Quran Source Quick Answer When Prophet Yunus (AS) was swallowed by the whale, he found himself in three layers of darkness: the darkness of night, the darkness of the sea, and the darkness of the whale's belly. From the deepest place a human being has ever been, he called out a single sentence — and Allah promises in the Qur'an that He will answer the same dua for any believer who calls Him in distress. Last updated 17 July 2026 The dua Prophet Yunus (AS) recited from inside the belly of the whale — the dua Allah promises to answer for any believer in distress. Arabic, transliteration, English meaning and Quran 21:87. When Prophet Yunus (AS) was swallowed by the whale, he found himself in three layers of darkness: the darkness of night, the darkness of the sea, and the darkness of the whale's belly. From the deepest place a human being has ever been, he called out a single sentence — and Allah promises in the Qur'an that He will answer the same dua for any believer who calls Him in distress. ## The dua of Yunus (AS) لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ سُبْحَانَكَ إِنِّي كُنْتُ مِنَ الظَّالِمِينَ La ilaha illa Anta subhanaka inni kuntu minaz-zalimin. There is no god but You, glory be to You — indeed, I have been among the wrongdoers. (Surah al-Anbiya 21:87) ## Allah's own promise about this dua > And \[mention\] the man of the whale, when he went off in anger and thought We would not decree \[anything\] upon him. And he called out within the layers of darkness: 'There is no god but You, glory be to You — indeed, I have been among the wrongdoers.' So We answered him and saved him from the distress. And thus do We save the believers. > > — Surah al-Anbiya 21:87-88 The Prophet ﷺ said about this exact dua: 'The supplication of my brother Dhun-Nun (Yunus) — none who is in difficulty calls upon Allah with it without Allah answering him' (Jami at-Tirmidhi 3505, graded Sahih). ## What the dua really does The dua does three things in one short line: it affirms Allah's oneness (la ilaha illa Anta), it glorifies Him beyond every human assumption (subhanak), and it confesses one's own wrongdoing (inni kuntu minaz-zalimin). It is the perfect formula for return to Allah — tawhid, tasbih and tawbah in eleven words. ## When to recite it - When facing any worldly distress — illness, debt, fear, oppression, family difficulty, loss. - Hundreds of times in private — the more sincere the repetition, the heavier the dua. - In sujud — the closest a person is to Allah is in prostration (Sahih Muslim 482). - In the last third of the night, when Allah descends to the lowest heaven and asks: 'Is anyone calling Me, that I may answer?' (Sahih al-Bukhari 1145). ## Reference The dua is from Surah al-Anbiya (21:87), with Allah's promise of acceptance in the next verse (21:88). The Prophet's ﷺ statement about it is in Jami at-Tirmidhi (3505) on the authority of Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas (RA), graded Sahih. Keep this site free No adverts, no tracking. A contribution covers hosting and the daily rebuild — it never buys a listing, a method or a mosque’s place in the directory. [Support the site](/support#readers) [Charity partners](/support#charities) ## More from the Knowledge Hub [ Community ### Muslims on the Frontline: How British Muslims Showed Up During the COVID-19 Pandemic 7 min read ](/blog/muslims-on-the-frontline-covid-community-response)[ Charity & Impact ### UK Muslims: Britain's Most Generous Faith Community — The Numbers Behind Muslim Charity 7 min read ](/blog/uk-muslims-most-generous-givers)[ Mosque Stories ### East London Mosque: Over 90 Years at the Heart of Britain's Muslim Community 6 min read ](/blog/east-london-mosque-heart-of-the-community)[ Community ### The Big Iftar: How Sharing a Meal is Breaking Down Barriers Across Britain 5 min read ](/blog/big-iftar-breaking-barriers-one-meal)