Friends, prayer is a bridge that connects our hearts to the Creator. One deeply meaningful prayer, emanating from an astonishing event, is the Prayer of Prophet Yunus. Let’s explore the significance of this prayer, which reveals the wisdom-laden life of Prophet Yunus.
Prophet Yunus was a messenger of Allah, sent to guide and redeem the people of Nineveh, who had gone astray. Known for their stubbornness and reluctance to heed guidance, the community posed significant challenges to Prophet Yunus, testing his patience and the persistence of his message.
Faced with what seemed like futile efforts and no notable change in the people’s behavior, despair began to take hold of him. Without fully grasping Allah’s will, Prophet Yunus left his mission behind and decided to depart from the city. This decision, however, was intertwined with Allah’s wisdom, serving as a test of Prophet Yunus’s faith and endurance.
The Prayer of Prophet Yunus in the Qur’an
Found in Surah Al-Anbiya (Chapter 21), verses 87-88, the Prayer of Prophet Yunus is a profound testament to the power of repentance, documented in the Qur’an:
وَذَا النُّوْنِ اِذْ ذَّهَبَ مُغَاضِبًا فَظَنَّ اَنْ لَّنْ نَّقْدِرَ عَلَيْهِ فَنَادٰى فِى الظُّلُمٰتِ اَنْ لَّآ اِلٰهَ اِلَّآ اَنْتَ سُبْحٰنَكَ اِنِّيْ كُنْتُ مِنَ الظّٰلِمِيْنَ ۚ
Wa żan-nūni iż żahaba mugāḍiban fa ẓanna allan naqdira ‘alaihi fa nādā fiẓ-ẓulumāti allā ilāha illā anta subḥānaka innī kuntu minaẓ-ẓālimīn(a).
فَاسْتَجَبْنَا لَهٗۙ وَنَجَّيْنٰهُ مِنَ الْغَمِّۗ وَكَذٰلِكَ نُـْۨجِى الْمُؤْمِنِيْنَ
Fastajabnā lahū wa najjaināhu minal-gamm(i), wa każālika nunjil-mu’minīn(a).
“And (remember) Yunus, when he departed in anger, thinking We would not constrain him. He called out in the darkness, ‘There is no deity except You; exalted are You. Indeed, I have been among the wrongdoers.’ So We responded to him and saved him from distress. And thus We save the believers.”
This heartfelt plea by Prophet Yunus, a model of repentance, was the sole expression of his despair, which Allah, the Merciful, graciously answered.
- Prayer Text: “La ilaha illa anta, Subhanaka, inni kuntu minaz-zalimin.”
- Meaning: “There is no deity except You; exalted are You. Indeed, I have been among the wrongdoers.”
This prayer embodies Prophet Yunus’s humility before Allah’s greatness, acknowledging his transgressions.
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Messages & Wisdom from the Prayer of Prophet Yunus
- Repentance and Self-Acknowledgment: The prayer teaches us the importance of repentance and owning up to our mistakes before Allah. Imperfect as we are, genuine acknowledgment is the first step towards transformation.
- The Power of Prayer in Adversity: Prophet Yunus’s situation inside the fish’s belly illustrates that prayer is a beacon of hope and light in the darkest times. Similarly, in our lives, prayer holds the potential to elevate us from despair.
- Meaning of ‘La ilaha illa anta’: This phrase underscores the essence of Tawheed, the belief in Allah’s oneness. It signifies that it is only to Allah that we can turn for solace and assistance.
- Returning to Our True Nature: Prophet Yunus’s prayer calls us to return to our inherent nature of humbling ourselves before Allah and acknowledging His magnificence. In this humility lies profound spiritual strength.
- Finding Wisdom in Hardship: The ordeal of Prophet Yunus teaches us that every hardship conceals wisdom. His prayer was not merely a plea for physical deliverance but also for liberation from spiritual anguish.
Upon leaving the city, Prophet Yunus embarked on a ship that soon encountered a fierce storm. The crew, determining through lots that the storm was brought about by someone among them, found Prophet Yunus to be the cause. He was cast into the tumultuous sea and swallowed by a great fish.
In the solitude and darkness of the fish’s belly, Prophet Yunus came to realize his mistake and repented with sincerity. It was in this moment of utter desperation that he uttered the prayer, now a symbol of devotion and humility before Allah.
Friends, the prayer of Prophet Yunus stands as a timeless message within history and sacred scripture. Through his story, we glean insights on the potency of prayer, the virtue of patience through trials, and the critical nature of repentance upon losing our way. As companions of virtue, let us derive wisdom from Prophet Yunus’s prayer. Let prayer be our constant ally on every step of our spiritual path, a divine gift ever-ready to embrace our pleas and aspirations.
