When the messenger was imprisoned.

When the messenger was imprisoned.

وَذَا النُّونِ إِذ ذَّهَبَ مُغَاضِبًا فَظَنَّ أَن لَّن نَّقْدِرَ عَلَيْهِ فَنَادَىٰ فِي الظُّلُمَاتِ أَن لَّا إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا أَنتَ سُبْحَانَكَ إِنِّي كُنتُ مِنَ الظَّالِمِينَ
Watha alnnooni ith thahaba mughadiban fathanna an lan naqdira AAalayhi fanada fee alththulumati an
" la ilaha illa anta subhanaka innee kuntu mina al tzalimeena"

And [mention] the man of the fish, 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."
Holy Qur’an Surah Al-Anbiya’ (21:87)

The story behind this powerful ayat is about Prophet Yunus (‘alaihis-salam) who was sent to the people of Nineveh (which was a city where the modern-day Iraqi city of Mosul is). Prophet Yunus preached the message of ALLAH (S.W.T) to these people for a very long time, but they did not respond well to his call.

When he felt that his preaching was not going to make them change their ways, he took off in anger. He boarded a ship filled with other passengers. After some time, the ship ran into a storm. The people on the ship cast lots, with the idea that the person whose name shows up should be thrown overboard. The name of Prophet Yunus (alaihis-salam) came up in the drawing three times, after which he threw himself into the sea. ALLAH(S.W.T) commanded a huge fish to swallow Prophet Yunus (alaihis-salam) without hurting him or breaking his bones. Prophet Yunus (alaihis-salam) realized that he had made a mistake by leaving his town and its people without the permission of ALLAH(S.W.T). This was why he was now imprisoned in this strange way in the belly of a fish in the depths of the ocean.

Upon realizing his error, he repented sincerely to ALLAH(S.W.T), and called out to his Lord in the following words:
"La ilaha illa anta subhanaka inni kuntu mina- zalimeen"

(There is no deity except You; exalted are You. Indeed, I have been of the wrongdoers.).

ALLAH(S.W.T) was so pleased with his repentance that He brought Prophet Yunus (alaihis-salam) out from the darkness of the fish’s belly, and the fish threw Prophet Yunus (alaihis-salam) on a flat and plain shore. The supplication that Prophet Yunus (alaihis-salam) made was loved so much by ALLAH(S.W.T) that it not only earned him his release, but is recorded in the Qur’an and was praised by the last of the Messengers, our Prophet Muhammad (sall-Allahu alaihi wasallam). This is one good example that shows the benefits of repentance (that is, apologizing to ALLAH(S.W.T) about one’s mistake or error) by reciting the dua repetitively.

Sa’d ibn Waqas reported that our Prophet Muhammad (sall-Allahu alaihi wasallam) said:

“The supplication made by the Companion of the Fish (Prophet Yunus) in the belly of the fish was, "La ilaha illa anta subhanaka inni kuntu mina- zalimeen"
(There is no deity except You; exalted are You. Indeed, I have been of the wrongdoers.).

Moral of the Story : "And your Lord says: "Call on Me; I will answer your (Prayer)!" (Glorious Quran 40:60)