The Relief from Distress by Shaykhul Islam Ibn Taymiyyah is concerning the dua of the Prophet Yunus (alayhi as-Salam) who spent many years calling his people to worship Allah alone, and to abandon their sinful ways. Only few people believed in his message; finally in despair, Yunus supplicated to Allah that His punishment descends upon his nation.
He was commanded by Allah to preach to his people for a further forty days, when three days remained he proclaimed amongst his people that punishment would afflict them in three days and he fled. His people gathered together and agreed that Yunus was a person who was not known to lie, and when they saw that he had indeed fled, they became certain of the imminent punishment and repented, so Allah forgave them and showed them mercy.
When Yunus came to know that Allah forgave his people, fearing disgrace and being called a liar, he embarked upon a ship, before long the ship was overcome with bad weather, as a result he was thrown into the sea, and then he was swallowed by a huge whale. In the stomach of the whale he called upon his Lord in pitch darkness, there is none worthy of worship save you! Glory be to you, far removed are You from my any imperfection; I have been among the wrongdoers. Allah responded to him and rescued him from his grief, and the whale spews him out onto the beach.Our beloved Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) said, The dua of my brother Yunus, None has the right to be worshiped save You; glory be to You, far removed are You from any imperfection; I have been amongst the wrong-doers, none who is experiencing difficulty employs it except that Allah would relieve him of his difficulty.
The author explains this supplication in the form of this book in extensive detail and its significance. This is an extremely beneficial work explaining this very powerful dua and how it can remove harm, difficulties, worries, stress, anxiety and much more. This great work will benefit every reader and empower them to call upon their Lord in the best of forms, even at the most difficult of times. It is the most detailed work on this great supplication in English literature.