It is narrated from Ka'b (may Allah have mercy on him) that he said: "And Yunus bin Matta is the one whom Allah Almighty named Dhu al-Nun. So Allah Almighty said: 'And (remember) the man of the fish, when he went off in anger and thought that We would not put him in straits; then he called out in the darknesses: There is no true god but You; glory be to You; indeed I have been of the wrongdoers.' [Surah al-Anbiya: 87] So Allah Almighty answered his supplication and delivered him from the distress of three darknesses: the darkness of the night, the darkness of the sea and the darkness of the belly of the fish. And Allah Almighty accepted the repentance of his people, and sent him to a hundred thousand people or more, and they believed, so Allah let them enjoy life until their appointed terms which He had written for them, and did not destroy them with punishment."

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Sa'd bin Abi Waqqas (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The supplication of Dhu al-Nun (Yunus, peace be upon him), which he made in the belly of the fish: 'La ilaha illa anta, subhanaka, inni kuntu min al-zalimin' (There is no true god but You; glory be to You; indeed I have been of the wrongdoers) [Surah al-Anbiya: 87] : no Muslim makes this supplication in any calamity or distress except that Allah Almighty surely answers him." This hadith has a sahih (authentic) chain of narration, but the two Shaykhs (Bukhari and Muslim) did not record it.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Whoever says, 'I am better than Yunus bin Matta,' has lied." This hadith with these words is sahih (authentic) on the condition of the two Shaykhs (Bukhari and Muslim), but they did not record it; however, they both agreed on this hadith of Abu al-Aliyah from Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) that (the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said): "It is not fitting for anyone to say, 'I am better than Yunus bin Matta.'"

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) passed through a mountain pass and asked: "Which pass is this?" The Companions said: "This is such and such a pass." He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "It is as if I am looking at Yunus bin Matta (peace be upon him) riding a she-camel whose halter is of palm fibre, wearing a cloak (jubbah) of wool, and saying: 'Labbayka Allahumma labbayk' (Here I am, O Allah, here I am)." This hadith is sahih (authentic) on the condition of Imam Muslim, but the two Shaykhs (Bukhari and Muslim) did not record it.