Travel

Journeys, stops and returning home

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Invocation for riding in a vehicle or on an animal

#206In the name of Allah and all praise is for Allah. How perfect He is, the One Who has placed this (transport) at our service and we ourselves would not have been capable of that, and to our Lord is our final destiny. All praise is for Allah, All praise is for Allah, All praise is for Allah, Allah is the greatest, Allah is the greatest, Allah is the greatest. How perfect You are, O Allah, verily I have wronged my soul, so forgive me, for surely none can forgive sins except You.

Invocation for traveling

#207(Allah is the greatest, Allah is the greatest, Allah is the greatest, How perfect He is, The One Who has placed this (transport) at our service, and we ourselves would not have been capable of that, and to our Lord is our final destiny. O Allah, we ask You for birr and taqwa in this journey of ours, and we ask You for deeds which please You. O Allah, facilitate our journey and let us cover it’s distance quickly. O Allah, You are The Companion on the journey and The Successor over the family, O Allah, I take refuge with You from the difficulties of travel, from having a change of hearts and being in a bad predicament, and I take refuge in You from an ill fated outcome with wealth and family.)(birr and taqwa: two comprehensive terms which individually, refer to all good actions and obedience i.e. performing the commanded actions and avoiding the prohibited actions. When combined together, birr refers to doing those actions which have been commanded and taqwa refers to avoiding those actions which have been prohibited.)(A successor: one who succeeds another due to the latter’s absence or death. This is the correct meaning of the word khaleefah; thus, it is incorrect to believe that Adam is the khaleefah (vicegerent, as is commonly translated) of Allah on earth because Allah is never absent, and will never die. This supplication proves the correct understanding of this term and shows that Allah succeeds us and guards whom we leave behind when we die or are absent.)(upon returning the same supplication is recited with the following addition: (We return, repent, worship and praise our Lord.))

Invocation for entering a town or city

#208O Allah, Lord of the seven heavens and all that they envelop, Lord of the seven earths and all that they carry, Lord of the devils and all whom they misguide, Lord of the winds and all whom they whisk away. I ask You for the goodness of this village, the goodness of its inhabitants and for all the goodness found within it and I take refuge with You from the evil of this village, the evil of its inhabitants and from all the evil found within it.

Invocation for when your vehicle or mount begins to fail

#210In the name of Allah.

The traveler's invocation for the one he leaves behind

#211I place you in the trust of Allah, whose trust is never misplaced.

The resident's invocations for the traveler

Glorifying and magnifying Allah on the journey

#214Jabir said: Whenever we went up a hill we would say Allaahu 'Akber (Allah is the Most Great) and when we descended we would say Subhaanallaah (Glory is to Allah)

The traveler's invocation at dawn

#215May a witness, be witness to our praise of Allah for His favours and bounties upon us. Our Lord, protect us, show favour on us and deliver us from every evil. I take refuge in Allah from the fire.

Invocation for a layover (stopping along the way) on the journey

#216I take refuge in Allah’s perfect words from the evil that He has created.

What to say upon returning from a Journey

#217Ibn AAumar reported that the Messenger of Allah on return from a battle or from performing the pilgrimage would say at every high point: (Allah is the greatest, Allah is the greatest, Allah is the greatest.) and then he would say: (None has the right to be worshipped except Allah, alone, without partner. To Him belongs all sovereignty and praise, and He is over all things omnipotent. We return, repent, worship and praise our Lord. Allah fulfilled His promise, aided His Servant, and single-handedly defeated the allies.)