Travel Prayer: The Prophet Muhammad’s Journey Prayer and Its Meaning
For Muslims, travel is an important act performed to meet both worldly needs and worship. In the Islamic faith, there are special prayers to be recited when setting out on a journey. One of these prayers is the travel prayer recited by the Prophet -peace and blessings be upon him-. This prayer is a supplication for the journey to pass safely and productively.
According to the narration of Abdullah ibn Omar -may Allah be pleased with him-, the Prophet -peace and blessings be upon him- would, when setting out on a journey and settling onto his mount, say takbir three times:
اَللّٰهُ أَكْبَرُ – اَللّٰهُ أَكْبَرُ – اَللّٰهُ أَكْبَرُ
(Allâhu Ekber, Allâhu Ekber, Allâhu Ekber)
Then he would recite the following prayer:
Arabic Pronunciation:
سُبْحَانَ الَّذٖ۪ى سَخَّرَ لَنَا هٰذَا وَمَا كُنَّا لَهُ مُقْرِنٖ۪ينَ وَإِنَّا إِلٰى ربِّنَا لَمُنْقَلِبُونَ، اَللّٰهُ إِنِّي نَسْأَلُكَ فٖ۪ى سَفَرِنَا هٰذَا اْلبِرَّ وَالتَّقْوٰى وَمِنَ اْلعَمَلِ مَا تَرْضٰى، اَللّٰهُ هَوِّنْ عَلَيْناَ سَفَرَنَا هٰذَا وَاطْوِ عَنَّا بُعْدَهُ، اَللّٰهُ أَنْتَ الصَّاحِبُ فِى السَّفَرِ وَاْلخَلِيفَةُ فِى اْلاَهْلِ، اَللّٰهُ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ وَعْثَاءِ السَّفَرِ وَ كَآبَةِ اْلمَنْظَرِ وَسُوءِ اْلمُنْقَلَبِ فِى اْلمَالِ وَاْلأَهْلِ وَاْلوَلَدِ
Turkish Pronunciation:
“Sübhânellezî sehhare lenâ hâzâ ve mâ künnâ lehû mukrinîne ve innâ ilâ rabbinâ lemunkalibûn. Allâhümme innâ nes’elüke fî seferinâ hâze’l-birra ve’t-takvâ ve mine’l-‘ameli mâ terdâ. Allâhümme hevvin ‘aleynâ seferenâ hâzâ, vatvi ‘annâ bu’dehû. Allâhümme ente’s-sâhibü fi’s-seferi ve’l-halîfetü fi’l-ehli. Allâhümme innî eûzü bike min va’sâi’s-seferi ve keâbeti’l-menzari ve sûi’l-münkalebi fi’l-mâli ve’l-ehli ve’l-veled.”
Meaning:
“Glory to Allah who has subjugated this [mount] for us, and we could not have subdued it ourselves. Indeed, to our Lord we will return. O Allah! We ask You in this journey of ours for righteousness, piety, and deeds that You approve of. O Allah! Ease our journey and shorten its distance. O Allah! You are the companion on the journey and the guardian in our home. O Allah! I seek refuge in You from the hardship of the journey, the depressing sights, and a bad outcome regarding my wealth, family, and children.”
Quranic Connection: The phrase “and indeed, to our Lord we will return” mentioned in this prayer refers
Hadith Source: The narration of the travel prayer is found in Muslim’s Book of Hajj. (Muslim, Hajj, 425)
Meaning of the Word ‘Sefer’: The word ‘sefer’ literally means