Book of the Adab of Travelling

Book of the Adab of Travelling

From Shaykh al-Islam al-Nawawi’s Riyad al-Salihin (tr. Ustadha Ayesha Bewley)

166. Chapter: On the Recommendation to set out on a journey on a Thursday at the beginning of the day

956. Ka’b ibn Malik said, ” The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, left on the expedition of Tabuk on a Thursday. He liked to set out on Thursdays.” [Agreed upon]

In one variant, “Rarely did the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, set out on other than a Thursday.”

957. Sakhr ibn Qada’a al-Ghamidi the Companion reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “O Allah, bless our community in its mornings.” When he sent out an expedition or an army, he sent them forth at the beginning of the day. Sakhr was a merchant. He used to send out his goods at the beginning of the day and he became wealthy and had a lot of property.” [Abu Dawud and at-Tirmidhi]

167. Chapter: On the Recommendation to have company on a journey and the travellers should appoint someone as their amir whom they will obey

958. Ibn ‘Umar reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “If people knew what I know about travelling alone, no one would travel for a single night alone.” [al-Bukhari]

959. ‘Amr ibn Shu’ayb reported from his grandfather that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “One rider is shaytan. Two riders are two shaytans. Three is a troop.” [Abu Dawud, at-Tirmidhi, and an-Nasa’i]

960. Abu Sa’id and Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “When three set out on a journey, they should appoint one of them as amir.” [Abu Dawud]

961. Ibn ‘Abbas reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “The best [number] of companions is four, and the best of expeditions is 400 and the best of armies is 4000. 12,000 Muslims will not be defeated for lack of numbers.” [Abu Dawud and at-Tirmidhi]

168. Chapter: On the adab of Travelling, Stopping, Spending the Night and Sleeping on the Journey. The recommendation to travel by night and to be kind to animals and see to their best interests

962. Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “When you travel at a time of fertility, then give the camel its share of the earth. When you travel at an arid time, then travel quickly on it and hurry before its hump disappears. When you camp at night, avoid the roadway. Roads are the paths of animals and the refuge of reptiles at night.” [Muslim]

963. Abu Qatada said, “When the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was on a journey, he would stop during the night, lying down on his right side. When he stopped during the night and it was close to the time of Subh, he would set his arm upright and put his head on his palm.” [Muslim]

Scholars say that he put up his arm so that he would not sleep deeply and miss the Subh prayer at its time, or the beginning of its time.

964. Anas reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “You should travel during the night. The earth is rolled up at night.” [Abu Dawud]

965. Abu Tha’laba al-Khushani said, “When people alighted in a place, they would go off separately, going off into the ravines and valleys. The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, ‘Your going off separately into these ravines and valleys comes from Shaytan.’ Then after that they would always group together when they alighted in a place.” [Abu Dawud]

966. Sahl ibn ‘Amr (and it is said Sahl ibn ar-Rabi’ ibn ‘Amr al-Ansari), known as Ibn al-Hanzala, who was one of the people of the Pledge of Ridwan. said, “The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, passed by a camel whose back was sticking to its belly and said, ‘Fear Allah in respect of these dumb animals. Ride them in good condition and eat them in good condition.” [Abu Dawud]

967. Abu Ja’far ‘Abdullah ibn Ja’far said, “The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, had me ride behind him one day and he confided to me something which I will not relate to anyone else. The place which the Messenger of Allah liked best for concealing himself when answering a call of nature was a high barrier of some kind or a palm enclosure, i.e. a palm garden.” [Muslim]

Al-Barqani added to it after his words, “a palm enclosure,” “He entered a garden belonging to one of the Ansar. There was a camel there. When it saw the Messenger of Allah, it made a noise and its eyes started watering. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, came to it and stroked its back – i.e. its hump and behind its ears – and then it calmed down. He said, ‘Who is the owner of this camel? To whom does this camel belong?’ A boy of the Ansar came and said, ‘It is mine, Messenger of Allah.’ He said, ‘Do you not fear Allah regarding this animal over which Allah has given you power? It complains to me that you starve it and tire it out.” [Abu Dawud]

968. Anas said, “When we alighted in a place, we did not pray supererogatory prayers until we had let the camels loose.” [Abu Dawud]

169: On helping one’s companion

969. Abu Sa’id al-Khudri said, “While we were on a journey, a man came on a mount of his and he began to look to the right and the left. The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, ‘Anyone who has a spare mount should offer it to someone who has not got one, and anyone who has extra provisions should offer them to the someone who has no provisions.’ He went on mentioning various sorts of property until we thought that no one had any right to anything extra.” [Muslim]

970. Jabir reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, wanted to go an expedition and said, “O company of Muhajirun and Ansar! Among your brothers are people who have neither property nor tribe. Each of you should attach two or three men to himself then each of us can take turns in being carried like them.” Jabir said, “I attached two or three to myself and took turns on my camel like one of them.” [Abu Dawud]

971. Jabir said, “The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, used to go to the rear during journeys and he would urge on the weak and mount them behind him and make supplication for them.” [Abu Dawud]

170. Chapter: On what one says when one mounting for a journey

Allah says, “He who created all the species and gave you ships and livestock for you to ride, so that you might sit firmly on their backs and remember your Lord’s blessing while you are seated on them, saying, ‘Glory be to Him who subjected this to us. We could never have done it by ourselves. Indeed we are returning to our Lord!'” (W43:11-13; H43:12-14)

972. Ibn ‘Umar reported that when the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, settled on his camel to go out on a journey, he said the takbir three times. Then he said, “Glory be to the One who has subjected this to us when we did not have the ability to do it. We are turning to our Lord. O Allah, we ask You in this journey of ours for piety and Godfearing and action which is pleasing to You. O Allah, make this journey of ours easy for us and roll up its distance for us. O Allah, You are our Companion in the journey and our Khalif in our family. O Allah, I seek refuge with You from the hardship of this journey and any sight which brings sorrow and an inauspicious return in respect of property, family and children.” When he returned, he would say this and add to it, “Returning, turning in repentance, worshipping our Lord, praising.” [Muslim]

973. ‘Abdullah ibn Sarjis said, “When the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, travelled, he sought refuge from the hardship of the journey, from a sorrowful return, from decrease after substance, and from the supplication of the wronged and from any evil sight in respect of his family or property.” [Muslim]

Scholars say that the meaning of kawn (substance) is to return from a stable state or a state of increase to a state of decrease.

974. ‘Ali ibn Rabi’a said, “I was once with ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib when he was brought an animal to ride. When he put his foot in the stirrup, he said, ‘In the name of Allah,’ When he was upright on its back, he said, ‘Glory be to Him who subjected this to us. We could never have done it by ourselves. Indeed we are returning to our Lord!’ Then he said, ‘Praise be to Allah’ three times. Then he said, ‘Allah is greater’ three times. Then he said, ‘Glory be to You. I have wronged myself, so forgive me. None forgives wrong actions except You.’ Then he laughed and was asked, ‘Amir al-Mu’minin! what made you laugh?’ He said, ‘I saw the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, do as I did. Then he laughed and I said, “O Messenger of Allah, what made you laugh?” He said, “Your Lord marvels at His slave when he says, ‘Forgive me my wrong actions, when he knows very well that no one other than Me can forgive wrong actions.'” [Abu Dawud and at-Tirmidhi]

171. Chapter: The takbir of the traveller when he ascends, his tasbih when he descends and the prohibition against raising the voice with the takbir

975. Jabir said, “When we went up a slope, we would say, ‘Allah is great,’ and when we descended, we would say, ‘Glory be to Allah.'” [al-Bukhari]

976. Ibn ‘Umar said, “When the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and his armies went up a hill, they used to say the takbir and when they went down one, they said, ‘Glory be to Allah.'” [Abu Dawud]

977. Ibn ‘Umar reported that when the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, returned from hajj or ‘umra, whenever he went up a hill or a slope, he would say the takbir three times and then would say, “There is no god but Allah alone with no partner. To Him belongs the kingdom and to Him belongs praise and He has power over everything, returning, turning in repentance, worshipping, prostrating to our Lord, praising. Allah has been true to His promise and helped His slave and defeated the parties alone.” [Agreed upon]

In a variant of Muslim, “When he returned from military campaigns, expeditions, hajj or ‘umra.”

978. Abu Hurayra reported that a man said, “O Messenger of Allah, I want to go on a journey, so give me some advice.” He said, “You should have fear of Allah and say the takbir on every slope.” When the man turned away, he said, “O Allah, roll up the distance for him and make the journey easy for him.” [at-Tirmidhi]

979. Abu Musa al-Ash’ari said, “We were with the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and whenever we climbed up above a valley, we would say, ‘There is no god but Allah and Allah is greater” with our voices raised. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, ‘O people! Be kind to yourselves! You are not calling someone who is deaf or absent. He is with you, listening.'” [Agreed upon]

172. Chapter: The recommendation to make supplication during the journey

980. Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Three supplications will be answered without a doubt: the supplication of someone who is wronged, the supplication of a traveller and the supplication of a parent for his child.” [Abu Dawud and at-Tirmidhi]

173. Chapter: On what supplication is made when one is afraid of people or something else

981. Abu Musa al-Ash’ari reported that when the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, feared a people, he said, ‘O Allah, We put You at their throats [to protect us]. We seek refuge with You from their evil.” [Abu Dawud]

174. Chapter: On what one says when one alights at a place

982. Khawla bint Hakim said, “I heard the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, ‘Anyone who alights in a place should say, “I seek refuge with the perfect words of Allah from the evil of what He has created,” and then nothing will harm him until he travels on from that place.'” [Muslim]

983. Ibn ‘Umar said, “When the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, travelled, and night approached, he would say, ‘O earth, my Lord and your Lord is Allah. I seek refuge with Allah from your evil and the evil of what is in You and the evil of what is created in You and the evil of what creeps on You. I seek refuge with Allah from the evil of the lion and the great black snake, and from the snake and the scorpion, and from the jinn who live in the land and from the begetter and what he begets [i.e. Iblis and the shaytans].'” [Abu Dawud]

175. Chapter: On the recommendation for the traveller to make haste to return to his family when he has achieved his purpose

984. Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Travelling is a form of punishment. It deprives a person of his food and drink and sleep. When he fulfils the purpose of his journey, he should hurry back to his family.” [Agreed upon]

176. Chapter: On the recommendation to come to one’s family during the day and the dislike of arriving at night when that is not necessary

985. Jabir stated that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “When one of you is absent for a long time, he should not return to his family at night.” [Agreed upon]

One variant states that the Messenger of Allah forbade a man to return to his family at night.

986. Anas said, “The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, used to not return to his family at night. He would only arrive in the morning or the afternoon.” [Agreed upon]

177. Chapter: On what one says when he returns and sees his town

987. Anas said, “We continued on with the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, until we were in sight of Madina. Then he said, ‘Returning, turning in repentance, worshipping our Lord, praising.’ He continued saying that until we reached Madina.” [Muslim]

178. Chapter: On the recommendation for the one who arrives to go first to the mosque in his area and pray two rak’ats in it

988. Ka’b ibn Malik reported that when the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, came back from a journey, he went first to the mosque and prayed two rak’ats.” [Agreed upon]

179. Chapter: On forbidding a woman to travel on her own

989. Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “It is not lawful for a woman who believes in Allah and the Last Day to travel the distance of a day and a night without having a dhu mahram with her.” [Agreed upon]

990. Ibn ‘Abbas reported that he heard the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “A man should not be on his own with a woman unless there is a dhu mahram with her. A woman should only travel with a dhu mahram.” A man said to him, “Messenger of Allah, what if my wife goes out on hajj when I have been appointed to go on such-and-such an expedition?” He said, “Go and do hajj with your wife.” [Agreed upon]

[A dhu mahram is a close male relative with whom marriage is forbidden.]