Dua for travelling, and the dua on returning
The dua for travelling begins with “Allahu Akbar” three times and the verse “Subhanal-ladhi sakh-khara lana hadha…”, then asks Allah for righteousness and an easy journey. Here it is in full, with Arabic and meaning, plus what to add on the way home.
Last updated: 4 October 2026
The dua for travelling
اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ، اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ، اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ، ﴿سُبْحَانَ الَّذِي سَخَّرَ لَنَا هَذَا وَمَا كُنَّا لَهُ مُقْرِنِينَ * وَإِنَّا إِلَى رَبِّنَا لَمُنقَلِبُونَ﴾ اللَّهُمَّ إِنّا نَسْأَلُكَ فِي سَفَرِنَا هَذَا البِرَّ وَالتَّقْوَى، وَمِنَ الْعَمَلِ مَا تَرْضَى، اللَّهُمَّ هَوِّنْ عَلَيْنَا سَفَرَنَا هَذَا وَاطْوِ عَنَّا بُعْدَهُ، اللَّهُمَّ أَنْتَ الصَّاحِبُ فِي السَّفَرِ، وَالْخَليفَةُ فِي الْأَهْلِ، اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ وَعْثَاءِ السَّفَرِ، وَكَآبَةِ الْمَنْظَرِ، وَسُوءِ الْمُنْقَلَبِ فِي الْمَالِ وَالْأَهْلِ
“Allah is the Greatest (three times). Glory be to the One who has placed this at our service, for we could not have done it ourselves, and to our Lord we will surely return. O Allah, we ask You on this journey for righteousness and piety, and for deeds that please You. O Allah, make this journey easy for us and shorten its distance. O Allah, You are our Companion on the journey and the One who looks after our family. O Allah, I seek refuge in You from the hardships of travel, from a distressing sight, and from an evil return to our wealth and family.”
Source: Sahih Muslim. Arabic text: Hisn al-MuslimOn the way home
آيِبُونَ، تائِبُونَ، عَابِدُونَ، لِرَبِّنَا حَامِدُونَ
Ayibuna, ta’ibuna, ‘abiduna, li rabbina hamidun.
“Returning, repenting, worshipping and praising our Lord. (Added to the travel dua on the way home.)”
Source: Sahih Muslim. Arabic text: Hisn al-MuslimOther Sunnahs of travel
- Say goodbye with du‘a: the Prophet ﷺ would say to a traveller, “I entrust to Allah your religion, your trust and the end of your deeds” (Jami‘ at-Tirmidhi 3443, graded sahih).
- Say “Allahu Akbar” going uphill and “SubhanAllah” going down (Sahih al-Bukhari 2993).
- Make du‘a on the way: the du‘a of the traveller is answered (Sunan Abi Dawud 1536, graded hasan).
- Pray on the journey: plan prayer stops on long drives, or pray at the airport; shortening and combining are allowed for travellers.
Going on Umrah or Hajj? See how to perform Umrah and our Hajj guide. For every other occasion, our collection of daily duas, and for children, duas for kids.
Frequently asked questions
When do I say the dua for travelling?
When you set off on a journey, once you are seated in the car, train, coach or plane. The Prophet ﷺ said it when he had mounted his camel to travel (Sahih Muslim 1342).
Do I say it on a short journey to work?
The full du‘a is for a journey, but the opening words, “Subhanal-ladhi sakh-khara lana hadha…” (Az-Zukhruf 43:13–14), are said whenever you ride any vehicle.
Can travellers shorten their prayers?
Yes. On a journey of roughly 80 km or more (scholars differ on the exact distance), four-rak‘ah prayers can be shortened to two, and prayers can be combined. Ask a local scholar for the details of your situation.
Keep learning, wherever you travel
Lessons are online in UK time, so you can keep your teacher on holiday. Try three free lessons.