Duas for travel: setting off, entrusting, returning

The duas

1. When boarding a vehicle

   1. لِتَسْتَوُۥا۟ عَلَىٰ ظُهُورِهِۦ ثُمَّ تَذْكُرُوا۟ نِعْمَةَ رَبِّكُمْ إِذَا ٱسْتَوَيْتُمْ عَلَيْهِ وَتَقُولُوا۟ سُبْحَـٰنَ ٱلَّذِى سَخَّرَ لَنَا هَـٰذَا وَمَا كُنَّا لَهُۥ مُقْرِنِينَ

      litastawū ʿalā ẓuhūrihī thumma tadhkurū niʿmata rabbikum 'idha stawaytum ʿalayhi wataqūlū subḥāna lladhī sakhkhara lanā hādhā wamā kunnā lahū muqrinīn

      That you may settle yourselves upon their backs and then remember the favor of your Lord when you have settled upon them and say, "Exalted is He who has subjected this to us, and we could not have [otherwise] subdued it.

      Az-Zukhruf 43:13

   2. وَإِنَّآ إِلَىٰ رَبِّنَا لَمُنقَلِبُونَ

      wa'innā 'ilā rabbinā lamunqalibūn

      And indeed we, to our Lord, will [surely] return."

      Az-Zukhruf 43:14

2. When setting out on a journey, after saying “Allahu akbar” three times

   سُبْحَانَ الَّذِي سَخَّرَ لَنَا هَذَا وَمَا كُنَّا لَهُ مُقْرِنِينَ وَإِنَّا إِلَى رَبِّنَا لَمُنْقَلِبُونَ، اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّا نَسْأَلُكَ فِي سَفَرِنَا هَذَا الْبِرَّ وَالتَّقْوَى، وَمِنَ الْعَمَلِ مَا تَرْضَى، اللَّهُمَّ هَوِّنْ عَلَيْنَا سَفَرَنَا هَذَا وَاطْوِ عَنَّا بُعْدَهُ، اللَّهُمَّ أَنْتَ الصَّاحِبُ فِي السَّفَرِ وَالْخَلِيفَةُ فِي الْأَهْلِ، اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ وَعْثَاءِ السَّفَرِ وَكَآبَةِ الْمَنْظَرِ وَسُوءِ الْمُنْقَلَبِ فِي الْمَالِ وَالْأَهْلِ

   Subhâna l-ladhî sakhkhara lanâ hâdhâ wa mâ kunnâ lahu muqrinîn, wa innâ ilâ rabbinâ la-munqalibûn. Allâhumma innâ nas'aluka fî safarinâ hâdhâ l-birra wa t-taqwâ, wa mina l-'amali mâ tardâ. Allâhumma hawwin 'alaynâ safaranâ hâdhâ wa-twi 'annâ bu'dah. Allâhumma anta s-sâhibu fî s-safar, wa l-khalîfatu fî l-ahl. Allâhumma innî a'ûdhu bika min wa'thâ'i s-safar, wa ka'âbati l-manzhar, wa sû'i l-munqalabi fî l-mâli wa l-ahl

   Glory to Him who has placed this at our service, for we could never have accomplished it ourselves, and to our Lord we shall surely return. O Allah, we ask You on this journey of ours for righteousness, piety, and deeds that please You. O Allah, make this journey easy for us and shorten its distance. O Allah, You are the Companion on the journey and the Guardian of the family left behind. O Allah, I seek refuge in You from the hardships of travel, from distressing sights, and from an ill turn of fortune in wealth and family.

3. When bidding farewell to someone

   أَسْتَوْدِعُكَ اللَّهَ الَّذِي لاَ تَضِيعُ وَدَائِعُهُ

   Astawdi'uka Llâha l-ladhî lâ tadî'u wadâ'i'uh

   I entrust you to Allah, whose trusts are never lost.

4. When someone you know sets out on a journey

   أَسْتَوْدِعُ اللَّهَ دِينَكَ، وَأَمَانَتَكَ، وَخَوَاتِيمَ عَمَلِكَ

   Astawdi'u Llâha dînaka, wa amânataka, wa khawâtîma 'amalik

   I entrust to Allah your religion, what has been placed in your care, and the end of your deeds.

5. For someone leaving on a journey who asks you to pray for them

   May Allah provide you with piety, forgive your sin, and make good easy for you wherever you are.

6. On a journey, in the last part of the night as dawn approaches

   سَمَّعَ سَامِعٌ بِحَمْدِ اللَّهِ وَحُسْنِ بَلاَئِهِ عَلَيْنَا، رَبَّنَا صَاحِبْنَا وَأَفْضِلْ عَلَيْنَا، عَائِذًا بِاللَّهِ مِنَ النَّارِ

   Samma'a sâmi'un bi-hamdi Llâhi wa husni balâ'ihi 'alaynâ, rabbanâ sâhibnâ wa afdil 'alaynâ, 'â'idhan billâhi mina n-nâr

   May a hearer bear witness to our praise of Allah and to the beauty of His favour upon us. Our Lord, be our Companion and grant us Your bounty. Seeking refuge in Allah from the Fire.

7. On returning from a journey, at every rise in the road — after saying « Allâhu akbar » three times

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

   Lâ ilâha illâ Llâhu wahdahu lâ sharîka lah, lahu l-mulku wa lahu l-hamd, wa huwa 'alâ kulli shay'in qadîr. Âyibûna, tâ'ibûna, 'âbidûna, li-rabbinâ hâmidûn. Sadaqa Llâhu wa'dah, wa nasara 'abdah, wa hazama l-ahzâba wahdah

   There is no god but Allah alone, with no partner. His is the dominion, His is the praise, and He is able to do all things. We return, we repent, we worship and we praise our Lord. Allah has kept His promise, He has helped His servant, and He alone has routed the confederates.

When to say them

The vehicle verses are said once you are seated, before setting off. The one who stays entrusts the traveller to Allah at the farewell.

The praise of return is said on the way back, at each rise in the road, after three takbirs.