5 supplications
Travel Duas
The Prophet ﷺ began every journey with the takbir and this supplication, asking Allah to make the trip easy and to protect the family left behind. The supplication of the traveller is answered (Abu Dawud, al-Tirmidhi).
The travel dua
اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ، اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ، اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ، سُبْحَانَ الَّذِي سَخَّرَ لَنَا هَذَا وَمَا كُنَّا لَهُ مُقْرِنِينَ، وَإِنَّا إِلَى رَبِّنَا لَمُنْقَلِبُونَ، اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّا نَسْأَلُكَ فِي سَفَرِنَا هَذَا الْبِرَّ وَالتَّقْوَى، وَمِنَ الْعَمَلِ مَا تَرْضَى، اللَّهُمَّ هَوِّنْ عَلَيْنَا سَفَرَنَا هَذَا وَاطْوِ عَنَّا بُعْدَهُ، اللَّهُمَّ أَنْتَ الصَّاحِبُ فِي السَّفَرِ، وَالْخَلِيفَةُ فِي الْأَهْلِ، اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ وَعْثَاءِ السَّفَرِ، وَكَآبَةِ الْمَنْظَرِ، وَسُوءِ الْمُنْقَلَبِ فِي الْمَالِ وَالْأَهْلِ
Allahu akbar, Allahu akbar, Allahu akbar. Subhanal-ladhi sakhkhara lana hadha wa ma kunna lahu muqrinin, wa inna ila rabbina lamunqalibun. Allahumma inna nas’aluka fi safarina hadhal-birra wat-taqwa, wa minal-‘amali ma tarda. Allahumma hawwin ‘alayna safarana hadha watwi ‘anna bu‘dah. Allahumma antas-sahibu fis-safar, wal-khalifatu fil-ahl. Allahumma inni a‘udhu bika min wa‘tha’is-safar, wa ka’abatil-mandhar, wa su’il-munqalabi fil-mali wal-ahl.
Allah is the Greatest (three times). Glory be to Him who has subjected this to us, and we could never have done it by ourselves, and to our Lord we shall return. O Allah, we ask You on this journey for righteousness and piety, and for deeds that please You. O Allah, make this journey easy for us and shorten its distance. O Allah, You are the Companion on the journey and the Guardian of the family. O Allah, I seek refuge in You from the hardships of travel, from distressing sights, and from an evil return to my wealth and family.
Source: Sahih Muslim
On returning from a journey
آيِبُونَ، تَائِبُونَ، عَابِدُونَ، لِرَبِّنَا حَامِدُونَ
Ayibuna, ta’ibuna, ‘abiduna, li-rabbina hamidun.
We return, repenting, worshipping and praising our Lord. Said in addition to the travel dua on the way back.
Source: Sahih Muslim
Refuge in the perfect words of Allah×3
أَعُوذُ بِكَلِمَاتِ اللَّهِ التَّامَّاتِ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا خَلَقَ
A‘udhu bi-kalimatillahit-tammati min sharri ma khalaq.
I seek refuge in the perfect words of Allah from the evil of what He has created. Whoever says it when stopping at a place, nothing will harm him until he leaves it.
Source: Sahih Muslim
Farewell to a traveller
أَسْتَوْدِعُ اللَّهَ دِينَكَ، وَأَمَانَتَكَ، وَخَوَاتِيمَ عَمَلِكَ
Astawdi‘ullaha dinaka, wa amanataka, wa khawatima ‘amalik.
I entrust to Allah your religion, your trust and the end of your deeds.
Source: Sunan Abi Dawud; Jami‘ al-Tirmidhi
The traveller’s farewell to those staying
أَسْتَوْدِعُكُمُ اللَّهَ الَّذِي لَا تَضِيعُ وَدَائِعُهُ
Astawdi‘ukumullahal-ladhi la tadi‘u wada’i‘uh.
I entrust you to Allah, whose trusts are never lost.
Source: Musnad Ahmad; Sunan Ibn Majah
Etiquette of the journey
The Prophet ﷺ disliked travelling alone and said that when three set out, they should appoint one of them as leader (Abu Dawud). On the road, the Companions said “Allahu akbar” when climbing and “SubhanAllah” when descending (al-Bukhari). The du‘a of the traveller is one of the du‘as that are answered (Abu Dawud, at-Tirmidhi), so a journey is a good time to ask Allah for one’s needs.
Returning, he would begin at the mosque and pray two rak‘ahs (al-Bukhari, Muslim), and he disliked that a traveller surprise his family at night. These customs make a trip, whether for work, family or Umrah, an act of worship from departure to return.
The meaning of the travel du‘a
The travel du‘a begins with the verse “Glory be to Him who has subjected this to us, and we could not have done it ourselves, and to our Lord we shall return” (43:13-14), recognising that every vehicle is a blessing from Allah and reminding the traveller of the last journey. It then asks for righteousness, piety and deeds that please Him, for an easy journey and a short distance, and seeks refuge from hardship, a sad sight and an unhappy return to family and wealth (Muslim).
Travel Duas: questions and answers
From what distance can I shorten my prayers?
Most scholars set it at about 80 kilometres; the traveller prays two rak‘ahs for Dhuhr, Asr and Isha until he returns or settles.
Is there a du‘a when the plane takes off?
Say the travel du‘a, which begins with the verse “Glory be to Him who has subjected this to us” (43:13); it applies to every means of transport.