Prophet Yūsuf: Part 3 — Forgiveness, with Ayyūb and Yūnus
Section 25 of 28 · Lives of the Prophets
Thus Do We Save the Believers
فَٱسْتَجَبْنَا لَهُۥ وَنَجَّيْنَـٰهُ مِنَ ٱلْغَمِّ ۚ وَكَذَٰلِكَ نُـۨجِى ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ
“So We responded to him and rescued him from the distress. And this is how We rescue the believers.” (21:88)
And Allah (swt) says: so We answered his call, and delivered him from the distress. One of the Companions came to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and asked: is this duʿāʾ only for Yūnus, or does it apply to any one of us — meaning, can we use the same duʿāʾ, and will it be accepted? The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said yes. Did you not see that Allah (swt) said: and thus do We save the believers? Allah says We saved Yūnus, and thus do We save the believers.
So the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) called it duʿāʾ al-karb — the duʿāʾ of distress. If you ask Allah (swt) with this duʿāʾ, Allah will deliver you from your distress. The duʿāʾ, once more: none has the right to be worshipped but You; glorified are You; truly, I have been of the wrongdoers.