The Prayer of The Traveller

عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عُمَرَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمَا أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ كَانَ إِذَا اسْتَوَى عَلَى بَعِيرِهِ خَارِجًا إِلَى سَفَرٍ كَبَّرَ ثَلَاثًا ثُمَّ قَالَ: سُبْحَانَ الَّذِي سَخَّرَ لَنَا هَذَا وَمَا كُنَّا لَهُ مُقْرِنِينَ وَإِنَّا إِلَى رَبِّنَا لَمُنْقَلِبُونَ اللهُمَّ إِنَّا نَسْأَلُكَ فِي سَفَرِنَا هَذَا الْبِرَّ وَالتَّقْوَى وَمِنَ الْعَمَلِ مَا تَرْضَى اللهُمَّ هَوِّنْ عَلَيْنَا سَفَرَنَا هَذَا وَاطْوِ عَنَّا بُعْدَهُ اللهُمَّ أَنْتَ الصَّاحِبُ فِي السَّفَرِ وَالْخَلِيفَةُ فِي الْأَهْلِ اللهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ وَعْثَاءِ السَّفَرِ وَكَآبَةِ الْمَنْظَرِ وَسُوءِ الْمُنْقَلَبِ فِي الْمَالِ وَالْأَهْلِ

From ‘Abdullah bin Umar who narrated that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), whenever he mounted his camel for the purpose of travelling, would glorify Allah thrice (by saying ‘Allahuakbar’). He would then recite, ‘Hallowed is He who subdued for us this (animal) while we ourselves were not powerful enough to utilise it, and to our Lord shall we return. O Allah, we seek from You in this journey goodness and piety and that it should be an act which pleases You. O Allah, lighten this journey of ours and make its distance easy for us. O Allah, You are our companion during this journey and guardian of our families (while we are away). O Allah, I seek refuge with You from the hardships of the journey, from observing that which is unpleasant, and from finding that harm has afflicted our families and property (upon our return).’

Narrated in Sahih Muslim

Grade: sahih (authentic)

Reflections:

1. Rasulullah (ﷺ) taught the etiquette of travelling, including the appropriate du’a and zikr.

2. Imam Nawawi wrote, ‘Based on (the above) hadith, it is encouraged to initiate travel with the du’a stated along with zikrullah and other prayers that the journey is made easy.’ The specific du’a extracted from the hadith is as such:

سُبْحَانَ الَّذِي سَخَّرَ لَنَا هَذَا وَمَا كُنَّا لَهُ مُقْرِنِينَ وَإِنَّا إِلَى رَبِّنَا لَمُنْقَلِبُونَ اللهُمَّ إِنَّا نَسْأَلُكَ فِي سَفَرِنَا هَذَا الْبِرَّ وَالتَّقْوَى وَمِنَ الْعَمَلِ مَا تَرْضَى اللهُمَّ هَوِّنْ عَلَيْنَا سَفَرَنَا هَذَا وَاطْوِ عَنَّا بُعْدَهُ اللهُمَّ أَنْتَ الصَّاحِبُ فِي السَّفَرِ وَالْخَلِيفَةُ فِي الْأَهْلِ اللهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ وَعْثَاءِ السَّفَرِ وَكَآبَةِ الْمَنْظَرِ وَسُوءِ الْمُنْقَلَبِ فِي الْمَالِ وَالْأَهْلِ

 3. Imam al-Baidhawi in Tuhfah al-Abrar said, ‘This du’a asks for protection from seeing that which is distressing and from a sorrowful return to one’s family and property (i.e. from finding that they have been harmed).’

4. In Bahjah al-Qulub, Syeikh al-Sa’di stated that this du’a asks that the traveller be distanced from difficulties and from being afflicted by sadness. It also beseeches Allah to safeguard the family and property that the person has had to part with.

Every believer should make du’a to Allah that whatever he engages in, he is protected. Du’a is the weapon of a believer.