Travel Supplications
Supplications are essential tools for believers, providing spiritual protection against life’s trials, especially during travel, which can often be exhausting and challenging. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: “Travel is a portion of punishment; it prevents you from your food, drink, and sleep. When one of you has fulfilled his need, let him hasten back to his family.” Below are some key supplications and invocations recommended for travelers, along with additional prayers that can be beneficial.
Recommended Supplications for Travel
Here are some of the prayers and invocations that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) would recite when setting out on a journey or returning from one:
- “Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar.”
- “When the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) mounted his camel for travel, he would say ‘Allahu Akbar’ three times, then say: ‘Glory be to Him who made this subservient to us, and we could not have done it by ourselves, and indeed, we will return to our Lord. O Allah, we ask You for righteousness and piety during our journey, and deeds that please You. O Allah, make this journey easy for us and shorten its distance. O Allah, You are the Companion in travel and the Guardian for our families. O Allah, I seek refuge in You from the hardships of travel, from a bad appearance, and from misfortune in wealth and family.’ Upon returning, he would recite these supplications and add: ‘We are returning, repenting, worshipping, and praising our Lord.’
- “Glory be to Him who made this subservient to us, and we could not have done it by ourselves, and indeed, we will return to our Lord.”
- The Prophet (peace be upon him) would say ‘Allahu Akbar’ three times upon returning from travel, followed by the previous prayers and the additional phrase: ‘We are returning, repenting, worshipping, and praising our Lord.’
- “O Allah, guide us with Your wisdom and make our journey blessed; O Allah, ease our travel.”
- When travelers reach a stop, they would say: “I seek refuge in the complete words of Allah from the evil of what He has created,” and whoever recites this will not be harmed until they depart from that place.
- If dawn breaks while traveling, the traveler may pray: “A listener has heard with the praise of Allah and His good favors upon us. Our Lord, accompany us and bestow Your goodness upon us, seeking refuge in Allah from the Fire.”
- As night approaches, the traveler would pray: “O land, my Lord and your Lord is Allah. I seek refuge in Allah from your evil, the evil of what is within you, the evil of what was created within you, and the evil of what crawls upon you. I take refuge in You from lions and leopards, from snakes and scorpions, from the inhabitants of the land, and every father and what he has fathered.”
Traditional Prayers for the Traveler
Here are some traditional prayers often recited for travelers:
- “O Allah, shorten for them the distance and ease their travel.”
- “I entrust to Allah your religion, your trust, and the last of your deeds.”
- “May Allah grant you piety, forgive your sins, and make good easier for you wherever you are.”
- “I entrust you all to Allah, whose trusts are never misplaced.”
General Duas for Travel
The following are general supplications that one can recite while traveling:
- “Our Lord, grant us mercy from Yourself and prepare for us guidance in our affair.”
- “O Allah, I seek refuge in You from the loss of Your blessings, the decline of Your health, the sudden onset of Your wrath, and from all Your displeasure.”
- “O Allah, nothing is easy except what You have made easy; and You make sorrow easy if You will.”
- “O Allah, I entrust my soul, my family, and my wealth to You; protect us with Your protection and remove from us all harm and misfortune.”