Dua for Travelling: Duas for Your Journey and Umrah

Quick answer: The main dua for travelling is said when you set off or board your transport: say Allahu Akbar three times, then Subhanalladhi sakhkhara lana hadha wa ma kunna lahu muqrinin, wa inna ila Rabbina lamunqalibun, followed by the longer travel dua the Prophet ﷺ taught (Sahih Muslim). There are also short duas for leaving home, stopping on the way, saying goodbye and returning, all given below with their meaning.

Why duas matter on a journey

Travel was never treated lightly in Islam. The Prophet ﷺ said that three supplications are answered without doubt, and one of them is the supplication of the traveller (Abu Dawud and at-Tirmidhi). A journey to Makkah for Umrah is a journey of worship from the moment you leave your door, so the duas below are a way of handing the whole trip to Allah: the flight, the transfers, your family at home and your safe return.

You do not need to memorise everything before you fly. Save this page on your phone, or write the short duas on a card in your hand luggage, and read them at each step.

Dua when leaving home

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ، تَوَكَّلْتُ عَلَى اللَّهِ، وَلَا حَوْلَ وَلَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاللَّهِ

Bismillah, tawakkaltu ‘alallah, wa la hawla wa la quwwata illa billah.

Meaning: In the name of Allah, I place my trust in Allah, and there is no power and no strength except with Allah. (Abu Dawud and at-Tirmidhi)

Say it as you step out of your front door on the way to the airport. Many families also say it together in the car or taxi before setting off for Heathrow, Manchester or Birmingham.

Dua for travelling: when you board the plane, car or coach

When you are seated and the journey begins, say Allahu Akbar three times, then:

سُبْحَانَ الَّذِي سَخَّرَ لَنَا هَذَا وَمَا كُنَّا لَهُ مُقْرِنِينَ، وَإِنَّا إِلَى رَبِّنَا لَمُنْقَلِبُونَ

Subhanalladhi sakhkhara lana hadha wa ma kunna lahu muqrinin, wa inna ila Rabbina lamunqalibun.

Meaning: Glory be to the One who has placed this at our service, for we could never have done so by ourselves, and to our Lord we will surely return. (Qur’an 43:13–14)

The Prophet ﷺ would then continue with this supplication (Sahih Muslim):

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

Allahumma inna nas’aluka fi safarina hadha al-birra wat-taqwa, wa minal-‘amali ma tarda. Allahumma hawwin ‘alayna safarana hadha watwi ‘anna bu‘dah. Allahumma antas-sahibu fis-safar, wal-khalifatu fil-ahl. Allahumma inni a‘udhu bika min wa‘tha’is-safar, wa ka’abatil-manzar, wa su’il-munqalabi fil-mali wal-ahl.

Meaning: O Allah, we ask You on this journey of ours for goodness and piety, and for deeds that please You. O Allah, make this journey easy for us and shorten its distance for us. O Allah, You are the Companion on the journey and the One who looks after the family left behind. O Allah, I seek refuge in You from the hardships of travel, from seeing anything that would cause sorrow, and from an unhappy return to my wealth and family.

On a flight to Jeddah or Madinah, a good moment is just after you have settled in your seat, before take-off. If you travel in Ihram, you will also be saying the Talbiyah after making your intention at the Miqat; our guide to Umrah duas and the Talbiyah covers that part.

Takbir going up, tasbih coming down

The Companions said: when we went up we said Allahu Akbar, and when we came down we said SubhanAllah (Sahih al-Bukhari). On a plane, many pilgrims say Allahu Akbar as it climbs after take-off and SubhanAllah as it descends towards Jeddah or Madinah. It is a simple way to keep remembering Allah through the whole flight.

Dua when you stop on the way

أَعُوذُ بِكَلِمَاتِ اللَّهِ التَّامَّاتِ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا خَلَقَ

A‘udhu bi kalimatillahit-tammati min sharri ma khalaq.

Meaning: I seek refuge in the perfect words of Allah from the evil of what He has created. (Sahih Muslim)

The Prophet ﷺ said that whoever stops at a place and says this will not be harmed until they move on. Say it when you reach your connecting airport, at a rest stop on the road from Makkah to Madinah, and when you check in to your hotel.

Saying goodbye: duas for the traveller and the family

Those staying behind say to the traveller:

أَسْتَوْدِعُ اللَّهَ دِينَكَ وَأَمَانَتَكَ وَخَوَاتِيمَ عَمَلِكَ

Astawdi‘ullaha dinaka wa amanataka wa khawatima ‘amalik.

Meaning: I entrust to Allah your religion, your trust and the last of your deeds. (Abu Dawud and at-Tirmidhi)

The traveller says to the family staying at home:

أَسْتَوْدِعُكُمُ اللَّهَ الَّذِي لَا تَضِيعُ وَدَائِعُهُ

Astawdi‘ukumullahal-ladhi la tadi‘u wada’i‘uh.

Meaning: I entrust you to Allah, whose trusts are never lost. (Ibn Majah)

It is also a good time to ask family and friends for their duas, and to promise to remember them at the Kaaba and in Masjid an-Nabawi.

Dua when returning home

On the way home, the Prophet ﷺ would repeat the travel dua and add (Sahih Muslim):

آيِبُونَ، تَائِبُونَ، عَابِدُونَ، لِرَبِّنَا حَامِدُونَ

Ayibuna, ta’ibuna, ‘abiduna, li Rabbina hamidun.

Meaning: We are returning, repenting, worshipping and praising our Lord.

Say it when your flight leaves for the UK and again as you arrive. Coming home after Umrah is a time for gratitude: thank Allah for accepting the journey, and keep up the good habits you built in Makkah and Madinah.

Practical tips for making dua on an Umrah journey

• Keep a list. Write down the duas you want to make for yourself, your parents and the people who asked you, so nothing is forgotten at the Kaaba.
• Use the waiting time. Airport queues, the coach to Makkah and the road to Madinah are hours you can fill with dhikr and dua instead of scrolling.
• Any language is fine. The duas above are Sunnah, but you can also ask Allah for anything in English, Urdu, Bengali or any language you speak.
• Prayer on the move. Travellers may shorten and combine prayers; the details differ between scholars, so ask a trusted scholar before you go. Plan your prayers around flight times, and check your packing list for a small travel prayer mat.
• Arriving in Jeddah. After a long flight, use the drive to Makkah to rest and make dua; our guide to getting from Jeddah airport to Makkah explains what happens on arrival.

If you are planning your journey now, our Umrah packages include return flights from the UK, the Umrah visa, hotels in Makkah and Madinah and all transfers, so you can spend the journey on worship rather than logistics.

Frequently asked questions

What is the dua for travelling?

Say Allahu Akbar three times, then "Subhanalladhi sakhkhara lana hadha wa ma kunna lahu muqrinin, wa inna ila Rabbina lamunqalibun" (Qur’an 43:13–14), followed by the longer supplication "Allahumma inna nas’aluka fi safarina hadha al-birra wat-taqwa…" reported in Sahih Muslim.

When should I read the travel dua on a flight?

Read it once you are seated and the journey begins, for example before take-off. You can then say Allahu Akbar as the plane climbs and SubhanAllah as it descends.

Is the dua of a traveller accepted?

The Prophet ﷺ said that the supplication of the traveller is one of three supplications that are answered (Abu Dawud and at-Tirmidhi). Make the most of the journey by asking Allah for yourself, your family and others.

Can I make dua in English while travelling?

Yes. The Sunnah duas are best learned in Arabic, but personal dua can be made in any language, and Allah understands every language.

What do I say when I come home from Umrah?

Repeat the travel dua and add "Ayibuna, ta’ibuna, ‘abiduna, li Rabbina hamidun": we are returning, repenting, worshipping and praising our Lord (Sahih Muslim).