Al-Anbiya · 21:87
وَذَا النُّونِ إِذ ذَّهَبَ مُغَاضِبًا فَظَنَّ أَن لَّن نَّقْدِرَ عَلَيْهِ فَنَادَىٰ فِي الظُّلُمَاتِ أَن لَّا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا أَنتَ سُبْحَانَكَ إِنِّي كُنتُ مِنَ الظَّالِمِينَ
And [mention] the man of the whale, when he went off in anger and thought that We would not decree upon him difficulty. And he called out within the darkness: There is no deity except You; exalted are You. Indeed, I have been of the wrongdoers.
This is the du'a of Yunus ﷺ from inside the belly of the whale, in the depth of the ocean, in the middle of the night. Three layers of darkness. The scholars said this du'a — called Du'a al-Karb, the supplication of distress — contains three elements that no other du'a combines: pure monotheism ('There is no God but You'), glorification of Allah ('exalted are You'), and complete self-accountability ('I have been of the wrongdoers'). The Prophet ﷺ said: no Muslim makes this du'a sincerely except that Allah answers.
Yunus ﷺ left his people before Allah had given him permission. He was swallowed by the whale as a consequence. But in the darkest place on earth, his du'a rose — and Allah responded. The Quran says: 'Had he not been of those who glorify Allah, he would have remained inside until the Day they are resurrected.' Glorification before the crisis saved him.
What three-layered darkness are you in right now — external, internal, spiritual? Have you made this du'a from inside it?
Say 'La ilaha illa anta subhanaka inni kuntu mina al-dhalimin' forty times today. Say it from wherever you are.
“The deepest du'a ever made was spoken in three layers of darkness. And Allah answered.”
— Taqwa Daily