Etiquette related to traveling

1. The person must first return to their rightful owners anything he has taken wrongfully from anyone or anything that has been left with him as a trust. This is because traveling is accompanied by the possibility of death.

2. The person must prepare his provisions from pure and legal sources. Furthermore, he must leave those people that he is financially responsible for, such as his wife, children or parents, what they need to survive.

3. He must bid farewell to his family, brethren and close friends. He should make the following supplication to those he is saying good-bye to: “Astaudi’ullaha dinakum wa amaanatakum wa khawatima a’maalikum” which means “I entrust to Allah your religion, your trusts and your final deeds.” And they should say to him:” May Allah give you taqwa (God-consciousness) as a provision, forgive your sins and turn you to the direction of good whatever direction you are directed.”

4. When the person travels he should do so in the company of three or four people, after choosing them based on who is best to travel with. It is said that traveling truly tests and reveals the character of a person

5. The travelers should choose one from their midst to be their leader. He will make decisions for them based on the hadith: “If three people go out on a journey, they should choose one of them to be their leader.” (Abu Dawud)

6. Before one travels, he should perform Salat Al-Istikharah. Allah’s Messenger (saw) exhorted his followers to perform this prayer and he used to teach them this prayer for every matter, as he taught them a chapter of the Qur’an.

7. When one leaves his house, he should state the following supplication: “In the name of Allah. I put my trust in Allah. There is no power or might except in Allah. O Allah, I seek refuge in You from going astray and being led astray, from committing an error or being caused to commit an error and from acting in ignorance or being acted against in ignorance.

8. The traveler should say: “Allahu Akbar” at every elevated location. Abu Hurayrah narrated that a man said to Allah’s Messenger (saw): “I plan to travel; can you please advise me?” He answered: “You must have fear of Allah and takbir (say ‘Allahu Akbar’) at every elevated location.” (Tirmidhi)

9. If the traveler fears any people, he should say: “O Allah, we take You as a shield against them and we seek refuge in You from their evil.” (Ahmad)

10. One should supplicate to Allah during his traveling. He should ask for the good of his life and the Hereafter. He should do so because the prayer of the traveler is responded to.

11. When the person stops somewhere, he should say: “A’udhu bi kalimaatillaahit-taammati min sharri ma khalaqa,” which means “I seek refuge in Allah’s Perfect Words from the evil that has been created.” (Muslim)

12. If the traveler fears loneliness, he should say: “Glory be to the Master, the Holy, Lord of the angels and Spirit, exalted is the heavens by His Power and Greatness Glory be to the Mast.” (Tabrani)

13. The traveler should try to return quickly to his family and land as soon as he is finished with his need or business on the trip.

14. upon returning, one should say: Allahu akbar (Allah is the Greatest) three times and also say: Aaibuuna taaibuuna ‘aabiduuna, lirabbinaa haamiduuna (We are returning, repenting, serving our Lord and praising Him)

(Ends)

by Abu Bakr Jabir Al-Jaza’iry