Whether it is the school run, a business flight or Umrah travel, the Sunnah gives us a beautiful safar ki dua (travel dua) to begin every journey — the same words the Prophet ﷺ said when he settled onto his mount. Here is the full Arabic, transliteration, English meaning, the return-journey addition, and how to teach it to children in five minutes.

Quick answer: The main travel dua is Subhanalladhi sakhkhara lana hadha wa ma kunna lahu muqrinin, wa inna ila rabbina la-munqalibun — "Glory be to the One who subjected this (vehicle) for us, and we could never have done it ourselves; and indeed, to our Lord we will return." Say it when your car, plane or train starts moving.

Safar ki dua — full text

Quran 43:13–14

سُبْحَانَ الَّذِي سَخَّرَ لَنَا هَٰذَا وَمَا كُنَّا لَهُ مُقْرِنِينَ وَإِنَّا إِلَىٰ رَبِّنَا لَمُنقَلِبُونَ

Subhanalladhi sakhkhara lana hadha wa ma kunna lahu muqrinin, wa inna ila rabbina la-munqalibun.

"Glory be to Him who has subjected this to us, and we could never have accomplished it ourselves. And indeed, to our Lord we will surely return."

Before it, the Sunnah is to say Bismillah when boarding, and Allahu Akbar three times once seated (Sahih Muslim).

Step-by-step order when starting any journey

  1. Bismillah — while stepping into the car/plane.
  2. Alhamdulillah — once seated.
  3. Allahu Akbar × 3.
  4. The travel dua above.
  5. Optional: the Prophet's ﷺ longer dua asking for righteousness in the journey and protection for the family left behind.

The return-journey addition

Sahih Muslim

آيِبُونَ تَائِبُونَ عَابِدُونَ لِرَبِّنَا حَامِدُونَ

Ayibuna, ta'ibuna, 'abiduna, li-rabbina hamidun.

"We return, repenting, worshipping, and praising our Lord."

The Prophet ﷺ added these words when coming home — a reminder that every safe return is a gift.

Is there a special airplane dua?

The same dua covers every mode of transport — camel, car, ship or aircraft. "Subjected this for us" applies even more powerfully at 40,000 feet. Many travellers also recite Ayatul Kursi and the 4 Quls for protection during the flight.

Teaching kids the travel dua (5-minute method)

  • Car ritual: nobody drives off until the family says the dua together — kids memorise it within two weeks of school runs.
  • One line at a time: start with just Subhanalladhi sakhkhara lana hadha, add the rest after a week.
  • Reward chart: a star each time a child remembers first — simple and surprisingly effective.
  • More kid-friendly duas: 20 essential duas for kids and the Daily Duas course.

Bonus: the traveller's dua is accepted

The Prophet ﷺ said three duas are not rejected — among them the dua of the traveller (Tirmidhi). Long journey ahead? That is your window: make dua for family, rizq, and guidance while you travel.

Want your children to learn every daily dua with correct Arabic? The kids' programme covers travel, eating, sleeping and morning duas with a live tutor. Book a free 30-minute kids trial.