وَذَا ٱلنُّونِ إِذ ذَّهَبَ مُغَـٰضِبًا فَظَنَّ أَن لَّن نَّقْدِرَ عَلَيْهِ فَنَادَىٰ فِى ٱلظُّلُمَـٰتِ أَن لَّآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّآ أَنتَ سُبْحَـٰنَكَ إِنِّى كُنتُ مِنَ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ 87
Translations
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."
Transliteration
Wa dha al-nooni idh dhahaba mughadiban fa dhanna an lan naqdira alayhi fa nada fi al-dhulumati an la ilaha illa anta subhanaka inni kuntu min al-dhalimin
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah refers to the Prophet Yunus (Jonah), who departed in anger before receiving divine command, thinking that Allah would not hold him accountable. Trapped in the darkness of the whale's belly, he called out with the testimony of faith and acknowledgment of his wrongdoing. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi emphasize that Yunus's supplication—La ilaha illa anta—was a complete turning to Allah in repentance, which demonstrates that sincere remembrance of Allah and humble submission are the keys to deliverance from even the most dire circumstances.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears within Surah Al-Anbiya, which highlights the stories and trials of various prophets. The account of Yunus is presented as an example of divine patience with His servants and the power of sincere supplication. The surah's broader context emphasizes that all prophets faced tests and challenges, yet their faith remained steadfast. No specific asbab al-nuzul (revelation cause) is documented for this particular verse.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: 'The supplication of Dhul-Noon (Yunus) when he called out from the belly of the whale: "La ilaha illa anta, subhanaka, inni kuntu min al-dhalimin" - none of the Muslims calls upon Allah with it except that He responds to him.' (Tirmidhi, classified as Hasan)
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches us that no matter how dire our circumstances or how grave our mistakes, sincere repentance and heartfelt remembrance of Allah's oneness can bring relief and forgiveness. It reminds us that acknowledging our wrongdoing and turning to Allah with humility is the path to redemption and divine assistance in our darkest moments.