The story of Yunus, peace be upon him, is told in the Quran in Surah As-Saffat (37:139–148) and Surah Al-Anbiya (21:87–88). Children love it, and it carries a powerful dua.
The story in four parts
- Yunus and his people. Allah sent Yunus to call his people to worship Allah. They would not listen, and Yunus left them in anger, before Allah had given him permission.
- The ship and the fish. Yunus boarded a crowded ship. In a storm, lots were drawn, and Yunus was thrown into the sea, where a huge fish swallowed him.
- The dua in the darkness. Inside the fish, in the darkness of the night, the sea and the fish’s belly, Yunus called on Allah and admitted his mistake.
- Saved. Allah answered him. The fish released him onto the shore, weak and ill, and Allah made a plant grow over him for shade. He recovered and returned to his people, who had come to believe.
The dua of Yunus
لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ سُبْحَانَكَ إِنِّي كُنْتُ مِنَ الظَّالِمِينَ
“There is no god but You. Glory be to You. I have certainly done wrong.” The Prophet ﷺ said that no Muslim calls on Allah with this dua for anything without Allah answering him (Jami’ at-Tirmidhi 3505).
Lessons to talk about
- Allah hears us anywhere, even in the darkest place.
- Saying sorry to Allah is the way out of a mistake.
- Patience: we should not give up on people too quickly.
Questions to ask afterwards
- “Why do you think Yunus was in the fish?”
- “What did he say to Allah?”
- “When could you say this dua?”
Teacher’s tip: tell the story with the lights dimmed, then switch them on at the moment Allah saves Yunus. Children remember the dua that brought the light back.
More: stories of the Prophets for kids. We never show Prophets in pictures.
