5 Duas to read while travelling as practised by the Prophet ﷺ

Du’a 1: In the transport/vehicle

بِسْمِ اللهِ الْحَمْدُ لِلهِ

سُبْحَانَ الَّذِي سَخَّرَ لَنَا هَذَا وَمَا كُنَّا لَهُ مُقْرِنِينَ وَإِنَّا إِلَى رَبِّنَا لَمُنْقَلِبُونَ

 (3x) الْحَمْدُ لِلهِ

 (3x) اللهُ أَكْبَرُ

سُبْحَانَكَ اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي ظَلَمْتُ نَفْسِي فَاغْفِرْ لِي فَإِنَّهُ لَا يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ

How to read:

Bismillaah, Al-ḥamdu lillaahi,

Subḥaan-alladhee sakhkhara lanaa haadhaa wa maa kunnaa lahu muqrineen, wa innaa ilaa rabbinaa la munqaliboon

Al-ḥamdu lillaah (3x) Allaahu Akbar (3x)

Subḥaanak-allaahumma innee ẓalamtu nafsee faghfir lee, fa innahu laa yaghfir-udh-dhunooba illaa ant (At-Tirmidzi 5/501)

Meaning: 

In the name of Allah, All praise is for Allah.

How far from imperfections 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 (x3) Allah is the greatest (x3)

How far from imperfections You are, O Allah, verily I have wronged my soul, so forgive me, for surely none can forgive sins except You.

Du’a 2: In the transport/vehicle

اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ

سُبْحَانَ الَّذِي سَخَّرَ لَنَا هَذَا وَمَا كُنَّا لَهُ مُقْرِنِينَ وَإِنَّا إِلَى رَبِّنَا لَمُنْقَلِبُونَ

اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّا نَسْأَلُكَ فِي سَفْرِنَا هَذَا الْبِرَّ وَالتَّقْوَى وَمِنَ الْعَمَلِ مَا تَرْضَى

اللَّهُمَّ هَوَّنْ عَلَيْنَا سَفْرِنَا هَذَا وَاطْوَعَّنَّا بُعْدَهُ

اللَّهُمَّ أَنْتَ الصَّاحِبُ فِي السَّفَرِ وَالْخَلِيفَةُ فِي الأَهْلِ

اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوْذُ بِكَ مِنْ وَعْثَاءِ السَّفَرِ وَكآبَةِ الْمَنْظَرِ وَسُوءِ المُنْقَلَبِ فِي الْمَالِ وَالأَهْلِ

How to read:

Allaahu akbar (3x)

Subḥaan-alladhee sakhkhara lanaa haadhaa wa maa kunnaa lahu muqrineen, wa innaa ilaa rabbinaa la munqaliboon

Allaahumma innaa nas’aluka fee safarinaa haadhal-birra wat-taqwaa, wa minal-‛amali maa tarḍaaa,

Allaahumma hawwin ‛alaynaa safaranaa haadhaa waṭwi ‛annaa bu‛dah,

Allaahumma antaṣ-ṣaaḥibu fis-safar, wal-khaleefatu fil-ahl,

Allaahumma innee a‛oodhu bika min wa‛thaa’-is-safar, wa ka’aabat-il-manẓari, wa soo’-il-munqalabi fil-maali wal-ahl (Muslim 2/978)

Meaning: 

Allah is the greatest (3x)

How far from imperfections He is, The One Who has placed this (transport) at our service, and we ourselves would not have been capable of doing so, and to our Lord is our final destination,

O Allah, we ask You for piety (Birr), and fear of You (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 seek refuge with You from the difficulties of travel, and from having a change of hearts and being in a bad predicament, and I take refuge with You from an ill fated outcome with wealth and family.

Du’a 3: When entering a town

اللّـهُمَّ رَبَّ السَّـمواتِ السّـبْعِ وَما أَظْلَلَـن وَرَبَّ الأَراضيـنَ السّـبْعِ وَما أقْلَلْـن وَرَبَّ الشَّيـاطينِ وَما أَضْلَلْـن وَرَبَّ الرِّياحِ وَما ذَرَيْـن أَسْـأَلُـكَ خَيْـرَ هذهِ الْقَـرْيَةِ وَخَيْـرَ أَهْلِـها وَخَيْـرَ ما فيها وَأَعـوذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَـرِّها وَشَـرِّ أَهْلِـها وَشَـرِّ ما فيها

How to read:

Allāhumma Rabbas-samāwātis-sab`i wa mā aẓlaln. Wa Rabba ‘l-arāḍīnas-sab`i wa mā aqlaln. wa Rabbash-shayāṭīni wa mā aḍlaln. wa Rabbar-riyāḥi wa mā dharayn. As’aluka khayra hādhihi ‘l-qaryah. wa khayra ahlihā. wa khayra māfīhā. wa a`ūdhu bika min sharrihā. wa sharri ahlihā. wa sharri mā fīhā. (Authentic according to Al-Hakim)

Meaning: 

O Allah, Lord of the seven heavens and all they overshadow, Lord of the seven worlds and all they uphold, Lord of the devils and all they lead astray, Lord of the winds and all they scatter. I ask You for the goodness of this town, and for the goodness of its people, and for the goodness it contains. I seek refuge in You from its evil, from the evil of its people, and from the evil it contains.

Du’a 4: When at a pitstop 

أَعُوذُ بِكَلِمَاتِ اللَّهِ التَّامَّاتِ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا خَلَقَ

How to read: 

‘A’oothu bikalimaatil-laahit-taammaati min sharri maa khalaq. (Muslim 4/2080)

Meaning: 

I seek refuge in the Perfect Words of Allah from the evil of what He has created.

Du’a 5: When returning from travel

(3x) اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ

لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لاَ شَرِيكَ لَهُ لَهُ الْمُلْكُ وَلَهُ الْحَمْدُ وَهُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ آيِبُونَ تَائِبُونَ عَابِدُونَ لِرَبِّنا حَامِدُونَ صَدَقَ اللَّهُ وَعْدَهُ وَنَصَرَ عَبْدَهُ وَهَزَمَ الْأَحْزابَ وَحْدَهُ

How to read: 

Allaahu akbar (3x)

Lā ilāha illallāh waḥdahu lā sharīka lah. lahu ‘l-mulku, walahu ‘l-ḥamd. wa Huwa `alā kulli shay’in Qadīr, ā’ibūna, tā’ibūna,`ābidūn, li Rabbinā ḥāmidūn, sadaqallāhu wa`dah, wa nasara `abdah. wa hazama ‘l-‘aḥzāba waḥdah. (Bukhari 7/163)

Meaning: 

Allah is the greatest (3x)

None has the right to be worshipped but Allah alone, Who has no partner. His is the dominion and His is the praise, and He is Able to do all things. We return repentant to our Lord, worshipping our Lord, and praising our Lord. He fulfilled His Promise, He aided His slave, and He alone defeated the Confederates.

Pro-Tip: Make lots of Dua when travelling

عَنْ عُقْبَةَ بْنِ عَامِرٍ الْجُهَنِيِّ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: ثَلَاثٌ مُسْتَجَابٌ لَهُمْ دَعْوَتُهُمْ الْمُسَافِرُ وَالْوَالِدُ وَالْمَظْلُومُ

‘Uqbah ibn ‘Amir reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “The supplications of three people are answered: the traveler, the parents, and the oppressed.” (Fair Grade, Musnad Aḥmad 17399)