What was the dua of Prophet Yunus in the belly of the whale?

When Prophet Yunus (Jonah) left his people in anger without Allah's permission and was later swallowed by a great fish, he called out from the darkness of the sea and the darkness of the fish's belly: 'La ilaha illa anta, subhanaka, inni kuntu min al-zalimin' ('There is no god but You, glory be to You; indeed, I was among the wrongdoers') (21:87). This dua is remarkable for combining three things at once: a declaration of Allah's oneness, glorification of Him, and honest admission of his own fault — with no excuses or blame placed elsewhere. The Quran tells us that had he not been 'of those who exalt Allah,' meaning of those with a habit of remembering and glorifying Him, 'he would have remained inside its belly until the Day they are resurrected' (37:143-144). This is often cited as proof that a life built on regular dhikr becomes a lifeline in moments of crisis. Many scholars encourage reciting this dua in any situation of distress or feeling trapped, since Allah promises just after the story that this is how He saves the believers.

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