Allah’s (s.w.t.) Promise to Accept the Du’a of Yunus (a.s.) in the Qur’an

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

Yunus (a.s.) had given up on his people when they did not hear his call to tawhid.  Allah (s.w.t.) did not give up on these people, and yet his prophet did.  Yunus (a.s.) was Punished in the belly of the creature for 40 days.  In Jami’ at-Tirmidzi and Swahih al-Hakim, Sayyidina Sa’d ibn Abu Waqqasw (r.a.) said that Yunus (a.s.) used to make a du`a in the belly of the creature: 

سُوۡرَةُ الاٴنبیَاء

… لَّآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّآ أَنتَ سُبۡحَـٰنَكَ إِنِّى ڪُنتُ مِنَ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ (٨٧) 

... “There is no god but You: Glory to You: I was indeed wrong!” (Surah al-Anbiya’:87) 

Regarding this du’a, the Prophet (s.a.w.) said, “In anything that you ask, in illness or need, or anything at all, if you recite that verse, Allah (s.w.t.) will Respond to you and Answer you.” 

In another narration, the Prophet (s.a.w.) asked the swahabah, “Do you want me to teach you the greatest supplication to Allah (s.w.t.)?  It is the du’a of Yunus.” 

One man asked, “Is that private to Yunus?” 

And the Prophet (s.a.w.) said, “Did you not hear Allah’s (s.w.t.) Word?”  And he quoted the very next line of the surah: 

سُوۡرَةُ الاٴنبیَاء

فَٱسۡتَجَبۡنَا لَهُ ۥ وَنَجَّيۡنَـٰهُ مِنَ ٱلۡغَمِّ‌ۚ وَكَذَٲلِكَ نُـۨجِى ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ (٨٨) 

So, We Listened to him: and Delivered him from distress: and thus do We Deliver those who have faith. (Surah al-Anbiya’:88) 

And with this supplication, insha’Allah, Allah (s.w.t.) Hears and Answers.