The Blessed Valley of al-ʿAqīq and the Prophetic Route to Iḥrām

 

بَابُ خُرُوجِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ عَلَى طَرِيقِ الشَّجَرَةِ

حديث ٥٣٦

عَنْ نَافِعِ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بِنِ عُمَرَ رضي الله عنهمَا: أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ أَنَاخَ بِالْبَطْحَاءِ بِذِي الْحُلَيْفَةِ، فَصَلَّى بِهَا، وَكَانَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بِنُ عُمَرَ رضي الله عنهمَا يَفْعَلُ ذَلِكَ.

وَفِي رِوَايَةٍ: أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ كَانَ يَنْزِلُ بِذِي الْحُلَيْفَةِ حِينَ يَعْتَمِرُ، وَفِي حَجَّتِهِ حِينَ حَجَّ. وَفِي رِوَايَةٍ: أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ كَانَ إِذَا خَرَجَ إِلَى مَكَّةٍ يُصَلِّي فِي مَسْجِدِ الشَّجَرَةِ (ولمسلم في رواية: ركعتين)، وَإِذَا رَجَعَ صَلَّى بِذِي الْحُلَيْفَةِ بِبَطْنِ الْوَادِي، وَبَاتَ حَتَّى يُصْبِحَ.

 

حديث 537

عَنْ ابْنِ عُمَرَ رضي الله عنهمَا: أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ أُرِيَ وَهُوَ فِي مُعَرَّسِهِ مِنْ ذِي الْحُلَيْفَةِ فِي بَطْنِ الْوَادِي، فَقِيلَ لَهُ: إِنَّكَ بِبَطْحَاءَ مُبَارَكَةٍ. (وَفِي حَدِيثِ عُمَرَ رضي اللهِ عنه قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ بِوَادِي الْعَقِيق يَقُولُ: أَتَانِي اللَّيْلَةُ آتٍ مِنْ رَبِّي فَقَالَ: صَلِّ فِي هَذَا الْوَادِي الْمُبَارَكِ، وَقُلْ: عُمْرَةً فِي حَجَّةٍ).

 

Chapter Nine: The Prophetic Departure via the Route of al-Shajarah

Ḥadīth 536

Narrated by Nāfiʿ, from ʿAbd Allāh ibn ʿUmar (may Allah be pleased with them both): “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ halted at al-Baṭḥāʾ, in Dhū al-Ḥulayfah, and offered prayer therein. ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿUmar, following the Prophetic example, used to do the same.”

In another narration: “Whenever the Messenger of Allah ﷺ performed ʿumrah, or undertook ḥajj, he would pause at Dhū al-Ḥulayfah”. And in yet another narration: “Whenever the Messenger of Allah ﷺ set out for Makkah, he would pray at the Mosque of al-Shajarah (As related by Muslim: “two rakʿahs”), and upon returning, he would pray at Dhū al-Ḥulayfah, in the basin of the valley, and would spend the night there until the break of dawn.”

 

Ḥadīth 537

On the authority of Ibn ʿUmar (may Allah be pleased with them both): “Whilst encamped at Dhū al-Ḥulayfah, in the basin of the valley, the Prophet ﷺ was shown a vision and it was said to him: ‘Indeed, you are in a blessed valley.’”

In the narration of ʿUmar (may Allah be pleased with him), he recounts: “I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ in the valley of al-ʿAqīq say: ‘Tonight, a messenger came to me from my Lord and instructed: Perform prayer in this blessed valley, and proclaim: A ʿumrah within a ḥajj.’”

 

Key Lessons and Reflections

1.    The Sacred Value of Specific Locales in Ritual Legislation: These traditions firmly establish the ritual distinction (faḍīlah) of geographically specific sites, namely al-Baṭḥāʾ, Dhū al-Ḥulayfah, and Wādī al-ʿAqīq, on account of their association with Prophetic activity and divine commendation. The Prophet’s ﷺ recurring halts and the revelatory directive affirm the ritual and spiritual relevance of these locales. This serves as a fundamental principle within Fiqh al-Manāsik (Jurisprudence of Pilgrimage), where spatial sacredness intersects with legal formality.

2.    Emulation of Prophetic Practice in Locale and Ritual Conduct: The deliberate imitation of the Prophet ﷺ by ʿAbd Allāh ibn ʿUmar (RA) signifies a juristic methodology rooted in taqlīd al-sunnah, the conscientious emulation of the Prophetic model, particularly where textual indications are direct and unambiguous. Such precedent affirms the establishment of sunān al-hudā, normative practices tied to divine guidance and legislative worth.

3.   Intention in Ritual Law and the Jurisprudence of Combination: The narration of ʿUmar (RA) explicitly demonstrates the permissibility and merit of incorporating ʿumrah within ḥajj, supporting the legality of tamattuʿ and qirān based on contextual interpretation. It further underscores the necessity of articulating one’s intent—lafẓ al-niyyah—a point of considerable relevance in legal discussions concerning the taxonomy and ruling of pilgrimage types.

4.   Revelatory Basis for Legal Acts and Their Authoritativeness: The prophetic statement “A messenger came to me from my Lord...” indicates that certain acts were not merely inspired but divinely commanded through intermediated revelation. The legal implication is considerable: actions based upon explicit divine instruction possess normative authority within uṣūl al-fiqh, meriting their classification as legally binding precedents.

5.  Temporal and Spatial Dimensions in the Execution of Rituals: The Prophet’s ﷺ systematic practice of praying at designated stations prior to entering into iḥrām, and his selection of specific locales for this initiation, elucidate the jurisprudential concern with spatial and temporal precision in ritual practice. From this emerges the recommendation, if not obligation, of mirroring such precision to achieve ritual correctness and spiritual alignment.

The Permissibility of Applying Perfume before Iḥrām

 

بَابُ الطَّيِّبِ عِنْدَ الإِحْرَامِ

حديث ٥٣٤

عَنْ عَائِشَةَ رضي الله عنها -وَفِي رِوَايَةٍ: لَمَّا أُخْبِرَتْ أَنَّ ابْنَ عُمَرَ رضي الله عنهما قَالَ: مَا أُحِبُّ أَنْ أُصْبِحَ مُحْرِمًا أَنْضَخُ طِيبًا-، قَالَتْ: (وَفِي رِوَايَةٍ: يَرْحَمُ اللَّهُ أَبَا عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ!) طَيَّبْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ بِيَدَيَّ هَاتَيْنِ حِينَ أَحْرَمَ -وَفِي رِوَايَةِ: بِأَطْيَبِ مَا أَجِدُ. وَفِي رِوَايَةٍ: فَيَطُوفُ عَلَى نَسَائِهِ، ثُمَّ يُصْبِحُ مُحْرِمًا يَنْضَحُ طِيبًا، وَلِحِلِّهِ حِينَ أَحَلَّ (وَفِي رِوَايَةٍ: بِمِنًى)، قَبْلَ أَنْ يَطُوفَ . (وَبَسَطَتْ يَدَيْهَا).

 

حديث 535

عَنْ عَائِشَةَ نرضي الله عنها، قَالَتْ: كَأَنِّي أَنْظُرُ إِلَى وَبِيصِ الطَّيِّبِ فِي مَفْرِقِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ -وَفِي رِوَايَةٍ: وَلِحِيَتِهِ- وَهُوَ مُحْرِمٌ.

 

Chapter Eight: The Juridical Ruling on the Use of Fragrance Prior to Assuming Iḥrām

Ḥadīth 534

On the authority of ʿĀʾishah (may Allah be pleased with her), it is narrated that upon being informed of the statement of Ibn ʿUmar (may Allah be pleased with them both), who said: “I would not wish to commence the iḥrām whilst still bearing the scent of perfume,” she replied:

(In another narration: May Allah have mercy upon Abū ʿAbd al-Raḥmān!) “I personally applied perfume to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ with these very hands of mine at the point when he entered into the state of iḥrām”. In another narration adds: “With the finest fragrance I was able to procure”.

Yet another narration records: “He would thereafter go to his wives, and upon morning, he would enter the state of iḥrām while the fragrance was still apparent”. Another version further states: “And again, upon his exit from the state of iḥrām” — as in another narration: “while at Minā” — “prior to performing the ṭawāf”. In conveying this narration, she extended her hands demonstratively, as though to emphasise her direct involvement.

 

Ḥadīth 535

ʿĀʾishah (may Allah be pleased with her) further said: “It is as though I can still see the lustrous gleam of the perfume within the parting of the Prophet’s ﷺ hair”. Another narration appends:  “and in his beard”, while he was in the state of iḥrām.”

 

Key Lessons and Reflections

1.     Legality and Recommendation of Perfuming before Iḥrām: These narrations collectively establish the permissibility, and by implication, the recommended status of applying perfume to the body prior to formally assuming the state of iḥrām. The fact that the Prophet ﷺ bore residual fragrance during iḥrām, owing to perfume applied beforehand by ʿĀʾishah (may Allah be pleased with her), serves as definitive evidence that the lingering scent does not compromise the validity of the iḥrām, provided the application occurred before its commencement.

2.     Juridical Demarcation between Pre- and Post-Iḥrām Acts: The reports underscore a pivotal distinction between the acts performed prior to the legal assumption of iḥrām and those occurring thereafter. Perfuming the body before donning iḥrām garments is lawful and even commendable; once iḥrām begins, however, it becomes impermissible. This boundary is foundational to the jurisprudence of ḥajj and ʿumrah rituals (Fiqh al-Manāsik), illustrating the methodological precision with which Islamic law delineates ritual thresholds.

3.     Evidentiary Strength and Methodology of Eyewitness Transmission: ʿĀʾishah’s employment of visual, almost tactile imagery — “It is as though I can still see the gleam of the perfume…” — reinforces the evidentiary strength of the narration. Such descriptive clarity constitutes ḥissī (empirical) observation, which, when transmitted by a reliable Companion, forms a legitimate basis for legal deduction in Uṣūl al-Fiqh. The presence of corroborative reports (mutābaʿāt) further elevates the authenticity and legal force of the narration.

4.     Legal Facilitation and Removal of Unwarranted Rigour: The residual fragrance borne during iḥrām reflects the Prophetic emphasis on ease and the avoidance of undue hardship (rafʿ al-ḥaraj), a recurrent theme in the higher objectives of Islamic law (maqāṣid al-sharīʿah). This principle manifests here as a practical mitigation of hardship, ensuring that devotees are not burdened with unnecessary legalism at the expense of ritual devotion. 

5.  The Epistemic Role of Female Companions in Legal Transmission: The narration underscores the participatory and epistemological authority of female Companions — in this case, ʿĀʾishah (may Allah be pleased with her) — in the transmission of legal and ritual knowledge. Her active involvement in perfuming the Prophet ﷺ, coupled with her lucid recall and transmission of such acts, positions her as a pivotal juristic witness. This dimension is especially salient in the methodology of hadith and the legal sciences, affirming the integral contribution of women in the classical Islamic legal tradition.

Legislated Mīqāt Stations for Pilgrimage

بَابُ فَرْضِ مَوَاقِيتِ الْحَجِّ وَالْعُمْرَةِ

حديث ٥٣٣

عن ابن عباسٍ رضي الله عنهما: أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ وَقَتَ لِأَهْلِ الْمَدِينَةِ ذَا الْحُلَيْفَةِ، وَلِأَهْلِ الشَّأْمِ الْجُحْفَةَ، وَلِأَهْلِ الْيَمَنِ يَلَمْلَمَ، وَلِأَهْلِ نَجْدٍ قَرْنًا (وَلِمُسْلِمٍ: وقال... وَفِي حَدِيثِ أَبي الزُّبَيْرِ: أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ جابِرَ بْنَ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ رضي الله عنهما يُسْأَلُ عَنِ الْمُهَلِّ، فَقَالَ: سَمِعْتُ - أَحْسِبُهُ رَفَعَ إِلَى النَّبيِّ ﷺ - فَقَال: مُهَلُّ أَهْلِ الْمَدِينَةِ مِنْ ذِي الْحُلَيْفَةِ، وَالطَّرِيقُ الْآخَرُ الْجُحْفَةُ، وَمُهَلُّ أَهْلِ الْعِرَاقِ مِنْ ذَاتِ عِرْقٍ.): فَهُنَّ لَهُنَّ وَلِمَنْ أَتَى عَلَيْهِنَّ مِنْ غَيْرِ أَهْلِهِنَّ مِمَّنْ كَانَ يُرِيدُ الْحَجَّ وَالْعُمْرَةَ، فَمَنْ كَانَ دُونَهُنَّ فَمِنْ أَهْلِهِ - وَفِي رِوَايَةٍ: فَمَنْ كَانَ دُونَ ذَلِكَ فَمِنْ حَيثُ أنشَأ -، حَتَّى إِنَّ أَهْلَ مَكَّةَ يُهِلُّونَ مِنْهَا.

وَفِي حَدِيثِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بِنِ عُمَرَ رضي الله عنهما: (أَنَّهُ ذُكِر لَهُ الْعِرَاقُ، فَقَالَ: لَمْ يَكُنْ عِرَاقًا يَوْمَئِذٍ). (وَفِي رِوَايَةٍ: لَمَا فُتِحَ هَذَانِ الْمِصْرَانِ أَتَوْا عُمَرَ، فَقَالُوا: يا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ حَدَّ لِأَهْلِ نَجْدٍ قَرْنًا، وَهُوَ جَوْرٌ عَنْ طَرِيقِنا، وَإِنَّا إِنْ أَرَدْنَا قَرْنًا شَقَّ عَلَيْنَا. قَالَ: فَانْظُرُوا حَذْوَهَا مِنْ طَرِيقِكُمْ. فَحَدَّ لَهُمْ ذَاتَ عِرْقٍ).

Chapter Seven: The Obligation of Specifying Mīqāt Stations for Ḥajj and ʿUmrah

Ḥadīth No. 533

It is narrated on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās (may Allah be pleased with them both) that: “The Prophet ﷺ designated Dhū al-Ḥulayfah as the mīqāt (station) for the people of Madīnah, al-Juḥfah for the people of al-Shām (Greater Syria), Yalamlam for the people of Yemen, and Qarn for the people of Najd”. (According to the narration recorded by Imām Muslim: “In the narration of Abū al-Zubayr, he related that he heard Jābir ibn ʿAbdullāh (may Allah be pleased with them both) being questioned concerning the mīqāt. He responded: ‘I heard’, and I believe he ascribed it to the Prophet ﷺ ‘The mīqāt for the people of Madīnah is Dhū al-Ḥulayfah, for those on the alternate route it is al-Juḥfah, and the mīqāt for the people of ʿIrāq is Dhātu ʿIrq’”. The Prophet ﷺ then clarified: “These stations are designated for the inhabitants of those regions and for all who pass through them intending to perform Ḥajj or ʿUmrah, even if they are not native to those localities. Whoever is situated within these boundaries should enter into iḥrām from his own place of residence.

In another narration: ‘Whoever is within that proximity, then from wherever he sets forth’. Even the residents of Makkah commence their iḥrām from within the city itself.”

In the narration of ʿAbd Allāh ibn ʿUmar (may Allah be pleased with them both), it is recorded that: “When the issue of ʿIrāq was brought to his attention, he remarked: ‘There was no ʿIrāq as a defined territory at that time’”. Another narration elaborates further: “When the two cities (Baṣrah and Kūfah) were conquered, a delegation approached ʿUmar and said: ‘O Commander of the Faithful! The Messenger of Allah ﷺ had designated Qarn as the mīqāt for the people of Najd, but that route lies distant from our path. Were we to divert to Qarn, it would cause undue difficulty’. ʿUmar replied: ‘Then identify a location equidistant and directly aligned with Qarn along your route.’ Accordingly, he established Dhātu ʿIrq as the mīqāt for them.”

Key Lessons and Reflections

1.  The Binding Nature of Appointed Mīqāts: The explicit designation of these geographical markers by the Prophet ﷺ underscores their obligatory status (farḍiyyah) in sacred law. It is impermissible for one intending pilgrimage to bypass a mīqāt without first entering the state of iḥrām, thereby affirming the enforceability of this legislative command.

2. Universal Applicability beyond Regional Boundaries: The ruling transcends regional affiliation. It applies equally to all travellers who intersect these stations, regardless of their origin, provided their intention is to perform Ḥajj or ʿUmrah. This reflects the inclusive and objective-based methodology of Islamic law.

3.  Localised Commencement of Iḥrām Based on Proximity: Pilgrims residing within the boundary points, i.e., those closer to Makkah than the mīqāts themselves, are to assume iḥrām from their respective dwellings. The narration, “from wherever he begins,” legitimises the practice of initiating iḥrām based on geographical nearness rather than the canonical mīqāt, where applicable.

4.   Caliphal Ijtihād in Jurisprudential Administration: The initiative taken by the Caliph ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb to assign Dhātu ʿIrq as a mīqāt for the people of ʿIrāq is emblematic of the legitimate exercise of ijtihād by the Rightly-Guided Caliphs. His judgment was not arbitrary but firmly grounded in established prophetic precedent, guided by the higher objectives of the Sharīʿah (maqāṣid al-sharīʿah), particularly the mitigation of hardship (rafʿ al-ḥaraj).

5.     Principle of Preventing Hardship – Sadd al-Dharāʾiʿ: The delegation’s complaint concerning the hardship of detouring to Qarn highlights the Prophet’s ﷺ broader legal principle of precluding excessive difficulty. The redirection to Dhātu ʿIrq aligns with the principle of sadd al-dharāʾiʿ (blocking harmful means) by facilitating ease without compromising the essence of the ritual act.

6.  Legal Maxim – “Hardship Necessitates Facilitation” (al-Mashaqqah Tajlib al-Taysīr): The designation of Dhātu ʿIrq, in lieu of the distant Qarn, provides a practical manifestation of this foundational qāʿidah fiqhiyyah (legal maxim). It reflects the adaptability of Islamic legal theory in accommodating exigent circumstances while remaining faithful to canonical principles.

The Prophetic Invocations for Travel

 بَابُ الدُّعَاءِ إِذَا أُرَادَ سَفَرًا أَوْ رَجَعَ                                        

حديث ٥٣٢

عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بِنِ عُمَرَ رضي الله عنهما، قَالَ: كَانَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ إِذَا قَفَلَ مِنَ الْحَجِّ أَوِ الْعُمْرَةِ أَوِ الْغَزْوِ، يَقُولُ كُلَّمَا أَوْفَى عَلَى ثَنِيَةٍ أَوْ فَدْفَدٍ، كَبَّرَ ثَلَاثًا، ثُمَّ قَالَ: لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحَدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ، لَهُ الْمُلْكُ، وَلَهُ الْحَمْدُ، وَهُوَ على كلّ شيءٍ قدير، آيبونَ (وفي رِوَايَةٍ: إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ)، تَائِبُونَ، عَابِدُونَ، سَاجِدُونَ، لِرَبِّنَا حَامِدُونَ، صَدَقَ اللهُ وَعْدَهُ، وَنَصَرَ عَبْدَهُ، وَهَزَمَ الْأَحْزَابَ وَحْدَهُ (وَلِمُسْلِمٍ فِي رِوَايَةٍ: أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ كَانَ إِذَا اسْتَوَى عَلَى بَعِيرِهِ خَارِجًا إِلَى سَفَرٍ، كَبَرَّ ثَلَاثًا، ثُمَّ قَالَ: سُبْحَانَ الَّذِي سَخَّرَ لَنَا هَذَا وَمَا كُنَّا لَهُ مُقْرِنِينَ وَإِنَّا إِلَى رَبَّنَا لَمُنْقَلِبُونَ، اللَّهُمْ إِنَّا نَسْأَلُكُ فِي سَفَرِنَا هَذَا الْبِرَّ وَالتَّقْوَى، وَمِنْ الْعَمَلِ مَا تَرْضَى اللَّهُ هَوِّنْ عَلَيْنَا سَافَرِنَا هَذَا، وَاطْوِ عَنَّا بُعُدَهُ، اللَّهُمْ أَنْتَ الصَّاحِبُ فِي السَّفَرِ، وَالْخَلِيفَةُ فِي الأَهْلِ اللَّهُمْ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ وَعِثَاءِ السَّفَرِ، وَكَابَةِ الْمَنْظَرِ، وَسَوْءِ الْمُنْقَلِبِ فِي الْمَالِ وَالأَهْلِ. وَإِذَا رَجَعَ قَالَهُمْ، وَزَادَ فِيهِنَّ: آيَبُونَ تَائِبُونَ عَابِدُونَ لِرَبِّنَا حَامِدُونَ. وَفِي حَدِيثِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بِنِ سَرْجِسَ عرضي الله عنه: كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ إِذَا سَافَرَ يَتَعَاوذُ مِنْ وَعِثَاءِ السَّفَرِ، وَكَآبَةِ الْمُنْقَلِبِ، وَالْحَوْرِ بَعْدَ الْكَوْنِ، وَدَعَوَةِ الْمَظْلُومِ، وَسَوْءِ الْمَنْظَرِ فِي الأَهْلِ وَالْمَالِ).

Chapter Six: Supplications Pertaining to Travel and Return

Ḥadīth 532

On the authority of ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿUmar (may Allah be pleased with them both), he reported:

Whenever the Messenger of Allah ﷺ returned from pilgrimage—be it Ḥajj, ʿUmrah, or a military campaign—he would proclaim takbīr (Allāhu akbar) thrice upon reaching elevated ground, such as a hill or mountain pass. Thereafter, he would recite:

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

Lā ilāha illā Allāh, waḥdahu lā sharīka lah, lahu al-mulku wa lahu al-ḥamdu, wa huwa ʿalā kulli shayʾin qadīr. Āyibūna (in one narration: in shāʾa Allāh), tāʾibūna, ʿābidūna, sājidūna, li-rabbinā ḥāmidūn. Ṣadaqa Allāhu waʿdah, wa naṣara ʿabdah, wa hazama al-aḥzāba waḥdah.

Translation:

“There is no deity worthy of worship but Allah, alone without partner. To Him belongs sovereignty, and to Him belongs all praise; and He has power over all things. We return—if Allah so wills—repentant, devout, prostrating, and praising our Lord. Allah fulfilled His promise, supported His servant, and vanquished the confederates by Himself.”

In another narration collected by Muslim, it is reported: (Whenever the Prophet ﷺ mounted his camel with the intention to travel, he would say takbīr three times and recite:

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

Subḥāna alladhī sakhkhara lanā hādhā, wa mā kunnā lahu muqrinīn, wa innā ilā rabbinā lamunqalibūn.

Translation:

“Exalted is He who has subjected this [beast/means of transport] to us, though we were by no means capable of mastering it; and indeed, to our Lord shall we return.”

Thereafter, he would supplicate:

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 الأَهْلِ. اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ وَعْثَاءِ السَّفَرِ، وَكَآبَةِ الْمَنْظَرِ، وَسُوءِ الْمُنْقَلَبِ فِي الْمَالِ وَالأَهْلِ.

Allāhumma innā nasʾaluk fī safarinā hādhā al-birra wa al-taqwā, wa mina al-ʿamali mā tarḍā. Allāhumma hawwin ʿalaynā safaranā hādhā, wa ṭwi ʿannā buʿdah. Allāhumma anta al-ṣāḥibu fī al-safar, wa al-khalīfatu fī al-ahl. Allāhumma innī aʿūdhu bika min waʿthāʾi al-safar, wa kaʾābati al-manẓar, wa sūʾi al-munqalabi fī al-māli wa al-ahl.

Translation:

“O Allah, we beseech You in this journey of ours for righteousness and piety, and for actions that earn Your pleasure. O Allah, ease this journey for us, and diminish its length. O Allah, You are the Companion in travel and the Guardian over our families. O Allah, I seek Your protection from the hardship of travel, the bleakness of sights, and a regrettable return in our possessions and families.”

Upon returning from travel, the Prophet ﷺ would repeat these supplications and append the following:

آيِبُونَ، تَائِبُونَ، عَابِدُونَ، لِرَبِّنَا حَامِدُونَ.

Āʾibūna, tāʾibūna, ʿābidūna, li-rabbinā ḥāmidūn.

Translation:

“We return, repentant, devoted in worship, and praising our Lord.”

In a ḥadīth narrated by ʿAbdullāh ibn Sarjis (may Allah be pleased with him), it is reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, when undertaking travel, would seek refuge with Allah from the exhaustion of travel, the sorrow of return, deterioration after prosperity, the supplication of the wronged, and the distressing scenes pertaining to one’s household or wealth.”

 Key Lessons from the Hadith

1. Legal Standing of Travel Supplications: The invocations cited in these aḥādīth are Sunnah muʾakkadah—a highly emphasised prophetic practice—illustrating the integration of worship and reliance upon Allah within the etiquette of travel.
2. Structural Themes of the Prophetic Duʿāʾ:

·   Affirmation of Divine Oneness (Tawḥīd): The central axis of both the travel and return invocations.

·   Gratitude and Praise: Consistently manifested through glorifications and expressions of divine gratitude.

·   Invocation for Divine Protection: Shielding from both tangible and spiritual adversity.

·   Recognition of the Divine Promise and Authority: As in: “Allah fulfilled His promise…”—an expression of certainty in divine support.

3. Fiqh of Travel (Adab al-Safar):

·   The practice of pronouncing takbīr upon ascending elevations is a prophetic tradition.

·   These narrations contextualise broader rulings related to travel, including the concessions of combining and shortening prayers.

4. Uṣūl al-Fiqh Principle – Sadd al-Dharāʾiʿ (Blocking the Means): The invocation for protection against negative outcomes in family and wealth reflects the preventative approach in Islamic jurisprudence, whereby potential harm is obstructed prior to its occurrence.
5. Fiqh Maxim – Al-Mashaqqatu Tajlibu al-Taysīr (Hardship Begets Facilitation): The supplication “O Allah, ease our journey…” exemplifies the maxim which dictates that legal facilitation is warranted in the face of difficulty, especially pertinent in matters of travel.