Shaykh al-Islām Ibn Taymiyyah—may Allah sanctify his soul—was asked about the Prophet’s words (may Allah bless him and grant him peace):

“The supplication of my brother Jonah, the Man of the Fish, is: ‘There is no deity except You. Glory be to You! Indeed, I have been among the wrongdoers.’ No one in distress offers this supplication without Allah relieving his distress.”

What does this supplication mean? Why does it dispel distress? Are there inward conditions that must accompany its utterance? How must the heart’s conviction accord with its meaning for it to bring about relief from affliction?

What is the relevance of his saying, “Indeed, I have been among the wrongdoers,” when affirming Allah’s oneness brings relief from affliction? Is his acknowledgment sufficient, or must there also be repentance and firm resolve for the future? What is the underlying reason that affliction is relieved and removed when one ceases to place hope in created beings and becomes detached from them? How can the heart turn away entirely from placing hope in created beings and being attached to them, and instead become attached to Allah Most High, place its hope in Him, and turn wholly to Him? What helps one achieve this?

He answered:

All praise belongs to Allah, Lord of all worlds. In the Quran, the terms du‘ā and da‘wah (invocation) encompass two meanings: invocation as worship