Ayat Kareema in Arabic, Meaning, And Benefits

Dua Yunus also known as Ayat Kareema, is an innovation of prophet Yunus when he called Allah from the belly of the fish. This verse holds immense spiritual significance for Muslims all over the world and is often recited as a form of supplication for distress.

In this blog post, we will explore the meaning and significance of this Ayat.

Ayat Kareema in Arabic

لَّآ إِلَٰهَ إِلَّآ أَنتَ سُبْحَٰنَكَ إِنِّى كُنتُ مِنَ ٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ

Transliteration: La ilaha illa anta subhanaka inni kuntu minaz zalimin.

Ayat Kareema Meaning in English

The meaning of this powerful ayat is: None has the right to be worshipped except You; Glory be unto You. Indeed I have been from the wrongdoers.

This short and versatile Dua is mentioned in surah Surah Anbiya Verse 87.

Ayat E Kareema Hadith

There are quite number of Hadith about this Dua but the most well known is a hadith narrated by Tirmidhi. The full Hadith is

Sa’d reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “The supplication of Yunus when he called upon Allah inside the belly of the whale was this, ‘There is no God but you, glory be to you, for I have been among the wrongdoers,’. Verily, a Muslim never supplicates for anything with it but that Allah will answer him.”

Source: Sunan al-Tirmidhi 3505

Explanation

Look at this (level of) distress which had befallen Yunus, upon him be peace. The fish had swallowed him and taken him down to the depths of the ocean.

Look at this great distress. (He was) within the belly of the fish and in the depths of the ocean. This was a great calamity.

So there came nothing from him, upon him be peace, except that he repeated these words.

‘None has the right to be worshipped except You; Glory be unto You. Indeed I have been from the wrongdoers.’

He was in darkness calling out; in darkness. (He was in) the darkness of the belly of the fish; the darkness of the ocean; and the darkness of the night.

He was in the depths of the ocean repeating these words. ‘None has the right to be worshipped except You; Glory be unto You. Indeed I have been from the wrongdoers.’

This is the supplication of Dhun-Noon when he supplicated within it while in the belly of the fish.

He was repeating it; so Allaah the Mighty and Majestic gave permission to the fish and commanded it to release him and He caused the squash plant to grow for him and He returned to him his health and strength after he had been in the depths of the ocean.

However, Yoonus upon him be peace, said this blessed supplication while trusting in Allaah and relying upon Him and turning to Allaah for refuge, knowing that the relief from his grief was in the hand of Allaah, Glorified be He.

Ayat Kareema Benefits

This statement contains four affairs and benefits:

The First Affair: At-Tawheed. (In his statement): Laa Ilaha illa-Allaah there is the Tawheed of Allaah.

The Second Affair: Absolving Allaah (from imperfections). In his statement: Subhaanaka (Glory be unto You).

The meaning of: ‘Glory be unto You is: I absolve You, O Allaah, from everything which does not befit You.

I absolve You from deficiencies and defects. I absolve You from what the (false) describers, from the enemies of the Messengers, describe You with.

“Glorified be your Lord, the Lord of Honor and Power! (He is free) from what they attribute unto Him!”

The Third Affair: (It contains) acknowledgement of wrongdoing and shortcoming: ‘Indeed I have been from the wrongdoers.

The Fourth Affair: Servitude to Allaah, the Glorified and High, and your acknowledgement that you are a servant of Allaah the Mighty and Majestic, and you cannot do without Allaah for the twinkling of an eye.

So this contains a great treatment and a blessed cure.

Due to this, the person is to run for refuge in all of his calamities, and in all of his instances of fright and hard times, to Allaah.

None should be ran to for refuge except Allaah; in any affliction that hits him, and in any calamity that befalls him, none should be run to for refuge except Allaah.

All of the created beings and mankind together, by Allaah, have no power to do anything for you.

If Allaah wants to cause harm to you, they cannot repel it. If He wishes to have mercy upon you, then they are not able to withhold it.

“Whatever of mercy (i.e. of good), Allaah may grant to mankind; none can withhold it, and whatever He may withhold, none can grant it thereafter. And He is the Almighty, the All-Wise.”

The harm which Allaah wills to befall, none can remove it nor can anyone lift it.

The One who lowers, the One who raises, the One who grasps, the One who spreads, the Giver, the Withholder, the One who honors (some), the One who humiliates (others), the One in Whose Hand are all affairs.

He is Allaah, the Glorified and High. So none should be run to for refuge except Him and none should be relied upon except Him, Glorified and Exalted be He.

So this is supplication or statement of remembrance which is affirmed within the Sunnah from the Prophet regarding treatment for stress.

Anyone who is faced with sadness may use this dua, it is a beautiful wording that is mentioned by Allah in the Quran.

Can We Recite Aya Kareema 1000 Times at the Times of Hardship and Difficulty?

According to scholars, It is not permissible to single out certain Ayats of the Quran to recite for specific purposes, unless there is specific Shar`i evidence to that effect. Therefore, there is no specific surah to recite when in difficulty.

The entire Quran is blessing and reward and goodness.