فَاسْتَجَبْنَا لَهُ وَنَجَّيْنَاهُ مِنَ الْغَمِّ وَكَذَلِكَ نُنْجِي الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ﴿۸۸﴾ وَزَكَرِيَّا إِذْ نَادَى رَبَّهُ رَبِّ لَا تَذَرْنِي فَرْدًا وَأَنْتَ خَيْرُ الْوَارِثِينَ ﴿۸۹﴾

﴾88﴿ Fastajabnaa lahoo wa najjainaahu minal ghamm; wa kazaalika nunjil mu'mineen
﴾89﴿ Wa Zakariyyaaa iz naadaa Rabbahoo Rabbi laa tazarnee fardanw wa Anta khairul waariseen

﴾88﴿ So We responded to his call and saved him from distress. And thus do We save the believers
﴾89﴿ And remember Zechariah, when he called to his Lord, O my Lord, do not leave me alone, while You are the best of inheritors

[88] Al-ghamm (the distress) is a general term—it includes both the grief caused by darkness (night, sea, belly of the fish) and the sorrow over having done an action that was khilāf al-awlā (contrary to what was better).
The detailed account of his rescue is mentioned in Surah As-Sāffāt, from verse 140 to 147.
The phrase wa kadhālika (and likewise) points to a broader principle: this supplication will also be accepted from other believers—if they show the same sincerity, humility, and fulfillment of the conditions as Yūnus (peace be upon him) did.
In the ḥadīths of Tirmidhī and Aḥmad, there is encouragement to recite this du‘ā’, and Ibn Kathīr also mentions narrations highlighting its virtue.
[89] This is also a transmitted proof through Zakariyyā (peace be upon him), reminding of Tawḥīd—that Zakariyyā (peace be upon him) turned solely to Allah the Exalted in his state of weakness and need.
Fardan means he was alone in the service of the religion, with no helpers or successors.
Al-wārithīn refers to those who inherit and protect the religion after the prophets.
The mention of idh nādā rabbahu (when he called upon his Lord) is also found in Surah Āl ‘Imrān (3:38) and Surah Maryam (19:3).
Note: In this Surah, the nidā’ (calling upon Allah) of four prophets is mentioned—indicating that all human needs fall into these four categories: 1. Protection from enemies – the nidā’ of Nūḥ (peace be upon him). 2. Relief from physical illness – the nidā’ of Ayyūb (peace be upon him). 3. Deliverance from general trials and hardship – the nidā’ of Yūnus (peace be upon him). 4. A request for righteous offspring to carry on religious and worldly legacy – the nidā’ of Zakariyyā (peace be upon him).
This shows clearly that all people, whether elite or common, are in constant need of Allah the Exalted in every state and for every need. It is obligatory upon them to seek help only from Allah in all matters.