TRAVEL

WHEN TRAVELLING

1. اَللهُ أَكْبَرُ ، اَللهُ أَكْبَرُ ، اَللهُ أَكْبَرُ ، سُبْحَانَ الَّذِيْ سَخَّرَ لَنَا هٰذَا وَمَا كُنَّا لَهُ مُقْرِنِيْنَ ، وَإِنَّا إِلَىٰ رَبِّنَا لَمُنْقَلِبُوْنَ ، اَللّٰهُمَّ إِنَّا نَسْأَلُكَ فِيْ سَفَرِنَا هٰذَا الْبِرَّ وَالتَّقْوَىٰ ، وَمِنَ الْعَمَلِ مَا تَرْضَىٰ اَللّٰهُمَّ هَوِّنْ عَلَيْنَا سَفَرَنَا هٰذَا وَاطْوِ عَنَّا بُعْدَهُ ، اَللّٰهُمَّ أَنْتَ الصَّاحِبُ فِي السَّفَرِ ، وَالْخَلِيْفَةُ فِي الْأَهْلِ ، اَللّٰهُمَّ إِنِّيْ أَعُوْذُ بِكَ مِنْ وَعْثَاءِ السَّفَرِ ، وَكَآبَةِ الْمَنْظَرِ ، وَسُوْءِ الْمُنْقَلَبِ فِيْ الْمَالِ وَالْأَهْلِ.

Allah is the Greatest. Allah is the Greatest. Allah is the Greatest. How perfect is the One Who has given us control over this; we could not have done it by ourselves. Truly it is to our Lord that we are returning. O Allah, we ask You for piety, taqwā and deeds which You will be pleased with on this journey of ours. O Allah, make this journey easy for us and let us cover its distance swiftly. O Allah, You are our Companion on the journey and the One in Whose care we leave our family. O Allah, I seek Your protection from the difficulties of the journey, from distressing scenes, and from an ill-fated outcome with my wealth and family.

Allāhu akbar, Allāhu akbar, Allāhu akbar, subḥāna-l-ladhī sakkhara lanā hādhā wa mā kunnā lahū muqrinīn, wa innā ilā rabbinā la-munqalibūn, Allāhumma innā nas’aluka fī safarinā hādhā-l-birra wa-t-taqwā, wa mina-l-ʿamali mā tarḍā, Allāhumma hawwin ʿalaynā safaranā hādhā wa-ṭ-wi’ ʿannā buʿdah, allāhumma Anta-ṣ-ṣāḥibu fi-s-safar, wa-l-khalīfatu fi-l-ahl, allāhumma innī aʿūdhu bika min waʿthāi-s-safar, wa kaābati-l-manẓar, wa sū’i-l-munqalabi fi-l-māli wa-l-ahl.

When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ would mount his camel for travel, he would say [the above]. (Muslim 1342)

WHEN TRAVELLING

2. سُبْحَانَكَ إِنِّي ظَلَمْتُ نَفْسِي ، فَاغْفِرْ لِي ، فَإِنَّهُ لاَ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ إِلاَّ أَنْتَ

You are free from imperfection. I have wronged myself, so forgive me, because none but You can forgive sins.

Subḥānaka innī ẓalamtu nafsī, fa-ghfir lī, fa-innahu lā yaghfiru-dh-dhunūba illā Anta.

ʿAlī (raḍiy Allāhu ‘anhu) narrates that he saw the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say [the above] and laugh after that. I asked: Messenger of Allah ﷺ, at what are you laughing? He ﷺ replied: “Your Lord, Most High, is pleased with His servant when he says: ‘Forgive my sins’, knowing that no one forgives sins except Him. (Abū Dāwūd 2602)

Upon returning, add the following:

3. آئِبُوْنَ ، تَائِبُوْنَ ، عَابِدُوْنَ ، لِرَبِّنَا حَامِدُوْنَ.

Returning, repenting, worshipping and praising our Lord. (Muslim 1342)

Ā’ibūna tā’ibuna ʿābidūn, li rabbinā ḥāmidūn.

The traveller’s invocation for the one he leaves behind:

4. أَسْتَوْدِعُكُمُ اللهَ الَّذِيْ لَا تَضِيْعُ وَدَائِعُهُ.

I leave you in the care of Allah, who does not allow anything entrusted to Him to be lost.

Astawdiʿukumu-llāha-lladhī lā taḍīʿu wadā’iʿuh.

Abu Hurairah (radiy Allāhū ‘anhu) said: “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ bid me farewell and said [the above] (Ibn Mājah 2825)

The resident’s invocation for the traveller:

5. أَسْتَوْدِعُ اللهَ دِيْنَكَ ، وَأَمَانَتَكَ ، وَخَوَاتِيْمَ عَمَلِكَ.

I leave your religion, your trust and the last of your deeds in the care of Allah.

Astawdiʿu-llāha dīnaka wa amānataka wa khawātīma ʿamalik.

Ibn Umar (radiy Allāhū ‘anhumā) would say to a man if he intended to travel, “I bid you farewell as the Messenger of Allah ﷺ would bid farewell. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ would say [the above]. (Tirmidhī 3443)

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “Indeed when something is entrusted in the care of Allah, He protects it.” (Ibn Ḥibbān 2682)

6. زَوَّدَكَ اللَّهُ التَّقْوَى ، وَغَفَرَ ذَنْبَكَ ، وَيَسَّرَ لَكَ الْخَيْرَ حَيْثُمَا كُنْتَ.

May Allah grant you Taqwa as your provision, and may He forgive your sin, and may He make goodness easy for you wherever you are.

Zawwadaka-llāhu-t-taqwā, wa ghafara dhambak, wa yassara laka-l-khayra ḥaythuma kunt.

Anas (raḍiy Allāhu ‘anhu) said: “A man came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and said: ‘I intend to undertake a journey, so give me provision. He said: ‘May Allah grant you Taqwa as your provision’ He said: ‘Give me more.’ He said: ‘And may He forgive your sin.’ He said: ‘Give me more, may my father and mother be sacrificed for you.’ He said: ‘And may He make goodness easy for you wherever you are.’” (Tirmidhī 3444)

7. اللَّهُمَّ اطْوِ لَهُ الْأَرْضَ وَهَوِّنْ عَلَيْهِ السَّفَرَ.

O Allah, shorten the distance for him and make travel easy for him.

Allāhumma-ṭ-wi lahu-l-arḍa wa hawwin ʿalayhi-s-safar.

Abu Huraira (raḍiy Allāhu ‘anhu) reported: A man said, “O Messenger of Allah ﷺ, I intend to travel, so instruct me.” The Prophet ﷺ said, “You must be mindful of Allah and exalt him every time you ascend a height.” The man left and the Prophet said [the above]. (Tirmidhī 3445)

WHEN ENTERING A SHOP/MARKET

8. لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا اللهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيْكَ لَهُ ، لَهُ الْمُلْكُ وَلَهُ الْحَمْدُ ، يُحْيِيْ وَيُمِيْتُ ، وَهُوَ حَيٌّ لَا يَمُوْتُ ، بِيَدِهِ الْخَيْرُ ، وَهُوَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيْرٌ.

There is no god but Allah. He is Alone and He has no partner. To Him Alone belong all sovereignty and all praise. He gives life and He gives death. He is Ever-Living and does not die. In His Hand is all good and He is over all things All-Powerful.

Lā ilāha illā-llahu waḥdahū lā sharīka lah, lahu-l-mulku wa lahu-l-ḥamd, yuḥyī wa yumīt, wa Huwa Ḥayyun lā yamūt, bi yadihi-l-khayr, wa Huwa ʿalā kulli shay’in Qadīr.

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “Whoever enters the marketplace and says [the above], Allah shall record a million good deeds for him, wipe a million evil deeds away from him, and raise a million ranks for him.” (Tirmidhī 3429)

WHEN ENTERING A TOWN OR CITY

9. اَللّٰهُمَّ رَبَّ السَّمٰوَاتِ السَّبْعِ وَمَا أَظْلَلْنَ ، وَرَبَّ الْأَرْضِيْنَ السَّبْعِ وَمَا أَقْلَلْنَ ، ورَبَّ الشَّيَاطِيْنِ وَمَا أَضْلَلْنَ ، ورَبَّ الرِّيَاحِ وَمَا ذَرَيْنَ ، أَسْأَلُكَ خَيْرَ هٰذِهِ الْقَرْيَةِ وَخَيْرَ أَهْلِهَا وَخَيْرَ مَا فِيْهَا ، وأَعُوْذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِّهَا وَشَرِّ أَهْلِهَا وَشَرِّ مَا فِيْهَا.

O Allah, Lord of the seven heavens and all that they shade, Lord of the seven earths and all that they carry, Lord of the devils and all that they lead astray, Lord of the winds and all that they scatter, I ask You for the good of this town, the good of its people, and whatever good is in it; and I seek Your protection from the evil of this town, the evil of its people, and whatever evil is in it.

Allāhumma Rabba-s-samāwāti-s-sabʿi wa mā aẓlaln, wa Rabba-l-arḍīna-s-sabʿi wa mā aqlaln, wa Rabba-sh-shayāṭīni wa-mā aḍlaln, wa Rabba-r-riyaḥi wa mā dharayn, as’aluka khayra hadhihi-l-qaryati wa khayra ahlihā wa khayra mā fīhā, wa aʿūdhu bika min sharrihā wa sharri ahlihā wa sharri mā fīhā.

Suhayb (raḍiy Allāhu ‘anhu) narrates that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ never saw a vicinity he wanted to enter except that he said [the above]. (Nasā’ī in al-Sunan al-Kubrā 5/256, Ibn al-Sunnī 524)

The Meaning of Salawat on the Prophet ﷺ
Death