Five Powerful Duas and Prayers for Traveling

Have you ever found yourself on the plane ready to take off, but unable to find your booklet of prayers for traveling? Often we find ourselves without access to these special duas or prayers when we need them the most. In our opinion, memorizing duas is the best solution.

One of the beautiful things about Islam is that there is a prayer for our normal daily activities and even prayers for traveling abroad.  When we embark on a journey, we should recite a prayer to Allah and remember Him. It brings us closer to Allah and also saves us from any untoward incident that may take place on our journey.

As per Islamic teachings, reciting a dua not only brings Allah’s protection; it also mobilizes angels to protect us during our journey and bring us safely back home to our loved ones.

Below are the five common duas that Muslims recite before journeys, complete with Arabic verse, dua transliteration, source, and explanation.

1. Prayer for Safety When Embarking on Travel

• • Arabic Verse: وَقُل رَّبِّ أَنزِلْنِى مُنزَلًا مُّبَارَكًا وَأَنتَ خَيْرُ ٱلْمُنزِلِينَ
  • Dua Transliteration: Rabbi anzilni munzalan mubarokan wa anta khairul munzilin
  • English Translation: My Lord, let me land at a blessed landing-place, and You are the best to accommodate [us].
  • Source: Surah Al Muminun ayat 29

When embarking on travel, this dua is recited to protect oneself from any mishap and to ensure a safe landing. When you recite this dua, you will feel calmer and less anxious about your upcoming trip.

It is always helpful to start a journey by remembering Allah. This prayer is useful to keep with you whenever you are packing for your trip so that you can easily recite it once you leave your home or on the plane.

This prayer asks Allah to protect us when traveling abroad. It also helps us proclaim our faith and affirm the fact that there is no one that can protect us except Allah.

2. Prayer for Safety During the Trip

• • Arabic Verse: سُبْحَانَ الَّذِي سَخَّرَ لَنَا هَذَا وَمَا كُنَّا لَهُ مُقْرِنِينَ وَإِنَّا إِلَى رَبِّنَا لَمُنقَلِبُونَ
  • Dua Transliteration: Subhana-alladhi sakh-khara la-na hadha wa ma kunna la-hu muqrinin. Wa inna ila Rabbi-na la munqalibun.
  • English Translation: Glory unto Him Who created this transportation, for us, though we were unable to create it on our own. And unto our Lord, we shall return.
  • Source: Surah Az-Zukhruf 43:13-14

This excerpt from Surah Az-Zukhruf is a masnoon prayer that thanks Allah for providing us with the means of transportation to make our journey. This dua is short and can be easily memorized so that it becomes a habit to recite it when on a journey.

The Holy Prophet (ﷺ) recited this Surah as dua when he would mount an animal for traveling. He would say Bismillah and then recite this prayer for travel safety. We may be traveling by car, plane, train, or boat; whatever the means of transportation is, it is always important to remember Allah during our journey.

3. Prayer for Traveling to a New Place

• • Arabic Verse: وَقُل رَّبِّ أَدۡخِلۡنِى مُدۡخَلَ صِدۡقٍ۬ وَأَخۡرِجۡنِى مُخۡرَجَ صِدۡقٍ۬ وَٱجۡعَل لِّى مِن لَّدُنكَ سُلۡطَـٰنً۬ا نَّصِيرً۬ا
  • Dua Transliteration: Wa-qul Rabbi Adkhilnee Mudkhala S’idqiw Wa Akhrijnee Mukhraja S’diqiw Waj-a’l Lee Mil Ladunkaa Sult’aanan Nas’eeraa
  • English Translation: O Lord, cause me to enter a goodly entrance and cause me to go out a goodly exit, and grant me from you an authority to assist (me).
  • Source: Sura Al-‘Isra 17:80

The prophet (ﷺ) was in Makkah and had to emigrate to Madinah when Allah revealed this verse. The Holy Prophet (ﷺ) was being attacked by individuals in Makkah and was preparing to enter a new place.

This verse asks for Allah’s protection when taking a big decision and traveling to a new place. This decision could be anything from moving to a new city to even moving to a new home. In this prayer, we are asking Allah to bless our entrance and exit. We are looking for His assistance and blessing while we take this decision.

4. Prayer upon Reaching Destination Safely

• • Arabic Verse: وَقَالَ ارْكَبُواْ فِيهَا بِسْمِ اللّهِ مَجْرَاهَا وَمُرْسَاهَا إِنَّ رَبِّي لَغَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ
  • Dua Transliteration: Va kealarkaboo feehea bismilleahi macreahea va murseahea, inna raabbee la gaafoorun raaheem
  • English Translation: Embark there in! In the name of Allah be its course or its mooring. Lo! My Lord is Forgiving and Merciful!
  • Source: Surah Al-Hud – 11:41

This verse is from Sura Hud, which relays the trials and tribulations of Prophet Noah allehisalam. Prophet Noah was commanded by Allah to create a ship and load it with two creatures (male and female) of every living thing that had a soul.

When the command came to leave on the ship, a strong storm came that brought heavy rainfall. This verse was then revealed at that time and means that the moving course and resting (anchorage) of the ship will be all in Allah’s hands.

This is a specific verse in the Surah and is often used when someone reaches their destination safely. It is a small and short prayer that can be memorized easily when traveling abroad and after you have reached your destination.

5. Prayer Upon Returning Home

• • Arabic Verse: آيِبُونَ تَائِبُونَ عابِدُونَ ساجِدُونَ لِرَبِّنَا حَامِدُونَ 
  • Dua Transliteration: Ayibun, ta’ibun, ‘abidun, sajidun, lirabbina hamidun
  • English Translation: We return, repentant, worshipping, prostrating, and praising our Lord.
  • Source: Sahih al-Bukhari 3084

This short prayer for travel safety is part of a longer verse that the Holy Prophet would recite upon returning from his journeys. After he came back from a journey, he would say Allah u Akbar three times and then recite this dua.

It is important not to forget Allah once we have returned safely to our homes. Often we only remember Allah when we are starting our journey or when we are in the process of traveling. But we should be grateful to Allah once we return safe and sound.

This dua only has a few words and can be easily learned by heart so that you can recite it quickly once you return home safely after traveling abroad.

Now You Know the 5 Powerful Duas and Prayers for Traveling

We can see that all of the prayers for traveling safety are not very long and can be remembered very easily. One should understand that when you are traveling, you are putting yourself in the trust of Allah and his powers.

Only Allah can decide what our fate is, but by saying prayers before we start our journey, during the journey, and when we reach home, we are affirming the fact that we believe in Allah’s power to protect us from harm.

If you want to learn about more authentic duas, read: What is the Dua you say before sleeping?