Surah Al-Anbya (الأنبياء) • The Prophets

The dua of Prophet YunusLa ilaha illa anta, subhanaka, inni kuntu minaz-zalimin · Quran 21:87

Also written Dua of Yunus · Ayat Karima · Ayat e Kareema · La ilaha illa anta subhanaka · لَّا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا أَنتَ سُبْحَانَكَ إِنِّي كُنتُ مِنَ الظَّالِمِينَ

21:87

وَذَا ٱلنُّونِ إِذ ذَّهَبَ مُغَـٰضِبًا فَظَنَّ أَن لَّن نَّقْدِرَ عَلَيْهِ فَنَادَىٰ فِى ٱلظُّلُمَـٰتِ أَن لَّآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّآ أَنتَ سُبْحَـٰنَكَ إِنِّى كُنتُ مِنَ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ

wadhā l-nūni idh dhahaba mughāḍiban faẓanna an lan naqdira ʿalayhi fanādā fī l-ẓulumāti an lā ilāha illā anta sub'ḥānaka innī kuntu mina l-ẓālimīna

And [mention] the man of the fish [i.e., Jonah], when he went off in anger and thought that We would not decree [anything] upon him. And he called out within the darknesses, "There is no deity except You; exalted are You. Indeed, I have been of the wrongdoers."

— Saheeh International

And remember the man with the whale,when he went off angrily, thinking We could not restrict him, but then he cried out in the deep darkness, ‘There is no God but You, glory be to You, I was wrong.’

— M. A. S. Abdel Haleem

And (remember) Dhun-Nûn (Jonah), when he went off in anger, and imagined that We shall not punish him (i.e. the calamities which had befallen him)! But he cried through the darkness (saying): Lâ ilâha illâ Anta [none has the right to be worshipped but You (O, Allâh)], Glorified (and Exalted) be You [above all that (evil) they associate with You]! Truly, I have been of the wrong-doers."

— Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Muhammad Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali

Juz 17Page 329meccan

What is The dua of Prophet Yunus about?

Verse 87 of Surah Al-Anbiya tells of Prophet Yunus, who left his people in anger and was swallowed by the whale. From inside the darkness he called out: "There is no god but You. Glory be to You. I have been among the wrongdoers." The dua has three parts: affirming the oneness of Allah, declaring Him free of any fault, and admitting one’s own fault. The next verse says Allah responded and saved him from distress, "and thus do We save the believers." Known in South Asia as Ayat Karima, it is one of the most recited duas for relief from distress.

When is it recited?

  • "No Muslim ever calls upon Allah with it for anything except that Allah answers him."(Jami’ at-Tirmidhi 3505, graded sahih by al-Albani)
  • In distress, anxiety and hardship, often repeated many times.

Sources: Quran 21:87 · Jami’ at-Tirmidhi 3505. Reviewed by Ummatey editorial, October 2026.

Word by Word

وَذَاwadhāAnd Dhun-Nun
ٱلنُّونِl-nūniAnd Dhun-Nun
إِذidhwhen
ذَّهَبَdhahabahe went
مُغَـٰضِبًۭاmughāḍiban(while) angry
فَظَنَّfaẓannaand thought
أَنanthat
لَّنlannever
نَّقْدِرَnaqdiraWe would decree
عَلَيْهِʿalayhiupon him
فَنَادَىٰfanādāThen he called
فِىfīin
ٱلظُّلُمَـٰتِl-ẓulumātithe darkness(es)
أَنanthat
لَّآlā(There is) no
إِلَـٰهَilāhagod
إِلَّآillāexcept
أَنتَantaYou
سُبْحَـٰنَكَsub'ḥānakaGlory be to You
إِنِّىinnīIndeed, [I]
كُنتُkuntuI am
مِنَminaof
ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَl-ẓālimīnathe wrongdoers