The Duaa' of Prophet Younes

The Du'aa of Prophet Yoonus Relief from Distress

Allah's Messenger said, 'The invocation of my brother Dhun-Noon: None has the right to be worshipped save You; glory be to You, I have been among the wrongdoers. None who is experiencing difficulty says it except that Allah will relieve him of his difficulty?' (Ahmad and at Tirmidhee and it is saheeh)

Yoonus ibn Mattaa was one of the Prophets of Allah. He was born in Ninevah, Mosul, which was the capital of the ancient Assyria, on the bank of the river Tigris. Its ruins can be seen opposite modern Mosul in northern Iraq.

Prophet Yoonus

Yoonus was sent to his people as a prophet to call them to the worship of Allah Alone and to abandon their sinful ways. He spent many years of his life in pursuit of this mission. But in all of this time, only a handful of people believed. Prophet Yoonus finally, in despair, supplicated to Allah that His punishment should descend upon his people. In response, he was commanded to preach to his people for a further period of forty days. He summoned them to Allah, but they rejected him and continued in their disbelief

When three days remained, he proclaimed amongst his people that punishment would befall them in three days, and he declared himself innocent of what they worshipped. The Quran says, 'And Dhun-Noon when he went off in anger, thinking We had no power over him.' (21: 87) Dhun-Noon means the one with the fish.

His people gathered together and agreed among themselves that Yoonus was an extremely truthful person. He was not known to lie. When they saw that he had indeed departed, they became certain of the imminent punishment and repented. Allah forgave them and showed them mercy.

On the other hand, Prophet Yoonus embarked upon a heavily laden ship. But it was not very long before the ship ran into a storm and was about to founder. The mariners said to each other, 'Come let us cast lots that we may know for whose cause this evil is upon us.' And then they cast lots, and he was the one who lost. The mariners were, however, reluctant to throw him overboard, seeing him to be a pious man.

They, therefore, repeated the drawing of lots three times. His name came up each time. So they took up Yoonus and cast him forth into the sea, and the sea ceased from its raging.

Upon being thrown into the sea, he was swallowed by a huge whale. The whale allowed him to stay in its belly, by the command of Allah. At this time, it is said that he invoked Allah saying, 'My Lord! I have been granted a place to pray where no one else has ever worshipped you before'

He soon realized that he had done something wrong in leaving his people before being granted permission by His Lord, and that this was the cause of his trial. Then he cried out in the deep darkness, 'Laa ilaaha illa anta subhaanaka, innee kuntu minadh-dhaalimeen. (21: 87) Allah responded to him and rescued him from his grief. This is how He rescues the believers.

Had Yoonus not been of those who extol Allah's limitless glory, he would indeed have remained in the whale's belly till the day when all shall be raised from the dead. After having regained health and strength, Prophet Yoonus returned to his people. He informed them that Allah had indeed forgiven them, and they welcomed him with open arms.

Thus the supplication that Yoonus made while he was in the whale's stomach is a special, blessed supplication. Allah accepts the supplication of anyone who makes the supplication of Prophet Yoonus. Therefore, this supplication was a blessing not only for Yoonus, but also for every single Muslim.

A. Fill in the blanks.

1. The supplication of Prophet Yoonus swal is a relief from 2. Yoonus will was sent as a prophet to the people of 3. While casting lots, name came up each time.

B. Answer the following questions.

Why is Prophet Yoonus referred to as Dhun-Noon in the Qur'an?

C. Think-up

Learn the supplication and use it in your daily life.

D. Learn up

Thanks!

How can the supplication of Prophet Yoonus be a blessing for all Muslims?

Why did Prophet Yoonus pray against his people?

What made Yoonus will realize that he had made a mistake by abandoning his people without Allah's leave?

Why did the promised punishment not fall upon the people of Yoonus ?