The Manners Of Traveling:
1) Bidding Farewell To Friends And Family
2) It is Disliked To Travel Alone
3) If A Travel Party Is Made Up Of Three Or More People, It Is Recommended For Them To Appoint One Of Them To Be Their Ameer (Leader)
4) The Prohibition Of Taking A Dog Or A Bell On A Journey
5) It Is Prohibited For A Woman To Travel Without A Mahram
6) It Is Recommended To Travel On Thursday, At The Beginning Of The Day
7) Supplications That Are Related To Travel
8) Voluntary prayers During Travel
9) What The Traveler Should Say When He Stops Somewhere For A While
10) It Is Recommended For Fellow Travelers To Gather Together When They Eat Stop Somewhere
11) Sleeping During Travel
12) After Having Fulfilled The Goal Of His Journey, The Traveler Should Not Linger, But Should Instead Return Home Quickly
13) It Is Disliked For A Traveler To Arrive Home To His Family During The Night
14) When A Traveler Returns To His City, It Is Recommended For Him To Perform Two Units Of prayer In The Masjid

The Manners Of Traveling

Abu Hurairah (R.A) reported that the Prophet (Pbuh) said, “Travel is a portion of punishment: it prevents one of you from his food, his drink, and his sleep. So when one fulfills his need (the purpose for which he set out on a journey), then let him hasten back to his family.” [Muslim, 1927]

The Manners Of Traveling:

1) Bidding Farewell To Friends And Family

When one is about to set out on a journey or trip, it is recommended for him to bid farewell to his wife, relatives, and Muslim brothers. Ibn ‘Abdul-Barr said, “When one of you is about to leave for a journey, then let him bid farewell to his brothers, for indeed, Allah places Barakah (blessings) in their supplications.” In regard to this issue, there is a Sunnah practice that has almost been abandoned, so few are they who apply it. It is to say the supplication that is mentioned in this Hadeeth: Quz’ah said, “Ibn ‘Umar (R.A) said to me, `Come and let me bid farewell to you in the same manner that the Messenger of Allah (Pbuh) bade farewell to me: I place your religion, your faithfulness, and the ends of your deeds in the trust of Allah.”‘ [Ahmad, 4510] In order to revive this Sunnah, we should bid farewell with the same words, and we should teach others to do the same.

Abu Hurairah (R.A) said, “Wanting to travel, a man went to the Messenger of Allah (Pbuh) and said, ‘0 Messenger of Allah, instruct me.’ He (Pbuh) said, “I instruct you to fear Allah ‘Azza Wa-Jall (Possessor of Might and Majesty) and to make Takbeer (i.e., say, ‘Allahuakbar,’ Allah is the Greatest) upon every high land [that you come across].”

When the man left, the Prophet (Pbuh) said, “0 Allah, fold and gather the earth for him, and make his journey easy for him. “‘

2) It is Disliked To Travel Alone

‘Abdullah Ibn ‘Umar (R.A) reported that the Prophet (Pbuh) said, “Were people to know what I know about [a person] being alone, [no] rider would travel alone during the nighttime.” [Ahmad, 4734]

The Prophet (Pbuh) did not openly detail the harms that result when a person travels by himself; rather, He simply pointed out that, were people to know those harms, they would not travel as individuals but rather as groups – of three or more. By not disclosing the harms – for unknown dangers are sometimes more feared than known ones – and by pointing out that one would not travel alone were he to know the dangers associated with doing so, the Prophets was able to add stress and emphasis to his warning.

The prohibition encompasses travel both during the day and during the night; the nighttime was singled out in the Hadeeth because that is when evil occurs most often. Also, even though the Hadeeth mentioned ‘rider,’ the prohibition also applies to a person who travels by foot; perhaps the Prophet (Pbuh) mentioned ‘rider’ simply because most people who travel ride (a mount in those times, cars during these times) as opposed to walk. And Allah (Swt) knows best.

Regarding the issue of traveling alone, there is also the Hadeeth of ‘Abdullah Ibn ‘Amr Ibn Al-‘Aas (R.A). He (R.A) reported that the Messenger of Allah (Pbuh) said, “A rider (who is alone) is Shaitaan (a devil); two riders are two devils; three are a convoy.” [Ahmad, 6709]

Al-Khattaabee explained this Hadeeth, saying that traveling alone throughout the earth is an action that is from Ash-Shaitaan (the Devil), who invites people to travel alone; the same goes for people who travel in pairs of two; but when a travel party is made up of three travelers, it becomes a convoy and a group of companions. If a person travels alone and then dies during his journey, no one is there (especially in the past, when people traveled through the desert, but it can even happen now) to wash him, prepare his corpse, and bury him; nor is there anyone to whom he can mention his will or give a message to convey to his loved ones; nor does he have anyone who can help him carry things during his journey. On the other hand, when three people make up a travel party, they help one another, distribute duties, perform prayer in congregation, and work to protect one another.

3) If A Travel Party Is Made Up Of Three Or More People, It Is Recommended For Them To Appoint One Of Them To Be Their Ameer (Leader)

Islam invites people to unite and not to become divided; this, for certain, applies on a societal level, but also to something as small as a three-people traveling party. Abu Sa’eed Al-Khudree (R.A) reported that the Messenger of Allah (Pbuh) said, “When three people go out on a journey, then let them appoint one of them to be their Ameer (leader).” [Abu Daawood, 2608]

A journey physically brings together fellow travelers, and just like people that are brought together in a society need an Ameer to lead them and work for their mutual benefit, fellow travelers also need an Ameer for the same reasons. That Ameer or leader must work for their benefit, and the people under him must follow him, as long as he does not order them to disobey Allah (Swt). If each member of the travel party does what is required of him, they will be united and they will fulfill the purpose of their journey without any mutual rancor or bitterness developing in their hearts.

4) The Prohibition Of Taking A Dog Or A Bell On A Journey

Abu Hurairah (R.A) reported that the Prophet (Pbuh) said, “The angels do not accompany a company in which there is a dog or a bell (a bell that is usually hung around the neck or body of an animal, so that it makes a ringing noise as the animal moves).” [Muslim,  2113]

Abu Hurairah (R.A) related another narration that clarifies the prohibition of bells; in it, the Messenger of Allah (Pbuh) said, “Bells are the pipes of the Devil.” [Muslim,  2114]

Scholars disagree about why angels don’t accompany a group that has a dog among them; some scholars say that angels stay away because a dog is impure; others say that, because it is prohibited to have a dog – except for one that helps with livestock and hunting – a person who keeps a dog is punished by having angels stay aloof from his company. And Allah (Swt) knows best.

5) It Is Prohibited For A Woman To Travel Without A Mahram

The Shariah forbids a woman to travel without a Mahram – a rough definition of Mahram being any man whom she may be alone with, such as her husband, and men whom she may never marry, such as her father, son, brother, etc. If a woman does travel without a Mahram, she becomes a source of Fitnah (trial and temptation) for the men she comes across during her travels. The Ahadeeth that establish this ruling are at once authentic and clear in their import, leaving no room for interpretation. Here are some of those Ahadeeth: Abu Hurairah (R.A) reported that the Prophet (Pbuh) said, “It is not permissible for a woman who believes in Allah and the Last Day to travel the distance of a day and night, if she does not have a Mahram with her.” Muslim related it thus: “It is not permissible for a Muslim woman to travel the distance of a night unless she has a man who is Dhu Hurmah (i.e., who is a Mahram of hers) with her. ” [Muslim, 1339]

In another Hadeeth, Ibn ‘Abbaas (R.A) reported that he heard the Prophet (Pbuh) say, “Let no man be in seclusion with a woman (i.e., if he is not her Mahram), and let no woman travel without a Mahram.”

A man then stood and said, “0 Messenger of Allah, I have been enlisted for such and such battle, and my woman has left to perform Hajj.” The Prophet (Pbuh) said, “Go and perform Hajj with your woman (i.e., wife).” [Ahmad, 1935]

In this last Hadeeth, we see how serious the prohibition is of a woman traveling the distance of a day and night with a Mahram -her father, brother, husband, son, etc. The Prophet (Pbuh) deemed it more important for the man to be with his wife who had left to perform Hajj than to participate with his fellow Muslims in a battle for which he had already been enlisted. An-Nawawee said, “This Hadeeth establishes the principle that, when two matters conflict with one another, one should give precedence to the more important matter. Since the man could either perform Hajj or go out to battle, but not both (since both Hajj and the battle were taking place at the same time), the Prophet (Pbuh) informed him that, in his situation, Hajj was the more important of the two matters. Someone could have taken his place in battle, as opposed to Hajj, where he was needed as a Mahram to accompany his wife.” exigencies of present-day life, a woman often has no choice but to travel alone. They argue that a woman is not in any danger when she travels with fellow passengers on a plane or train, for example. One of them might say, “Why is it wrong for my wife to travel alone, when I send her off at the airport, making sure she gets on the plane, and her brother receives her in the other country?”

The Answer To That Argument: First, we must understand that the Fitnah (trial and temptation) of women is from the greatest of Fitnahs that any Nation has been tested with – a Fitnah that the Prophet (Pbuh) warned us about in his saying: “Verily, the world is sweet, fresh, and green (here the Prophet is perhaps likening the world to the beauty of greenery and vegetation or to the quickness with which the beauty of vegetation fades away and dies). And indeed, Allah has made you to succeed previous generations, and then sees how you act (either with obedience to Him or disobedience); so beware of this world and beware of women, for the first Fitnah (test, trial, temptation) of Banu Israel (The Children of Israel) was in women.” [Muslim, 2742]

Therefore, if a woman is left alone to travel without a Mahram, and if she is made to work side by side with men, taking on positions of leadership among men, then we have a clear warning sign that we will be afflicted with the same Fitnah that Banu Israel was afflicted with – and we seek refuge with Allah (Swt).

Second, we must face up to two very real facts: women are weak and, because they need men to protect them and take care of their affairs, they are easily drawn to men; the other very real fact is that many men have weak Eemaan (faith) in their hearts and have almost no religious deterrent in their hearts to hold them back from doing evil. When we seriously consider these two facts, the dangers and trials associated with women traveling alone should become very clear to us. Sure, a woman who travels on a plane is not alone, for she is with other passengers, but those passengers are all strangers to her. Her being alone, other men being alone, and her need to talk to them to help her, for example – all open up possibilities of evil. The reality is that many people have diseases in their hearts, and even more people have eyes that wander and imaginations that tag along. Given these temptations and evils, a woman who travels alone has no Mahram to protect her or to keep her in check (which is also a form of protecting her).

Now let us consider this argument: “Why is it wrong for my wife to travel alone, when I send her off at the airport, making sure she gets on the plane, and her brother receives her in the other country?” The man who says this does not know for sure whether, due to mechanical problems, the plane will land elsewhere and whether the passengers will be forced to stay there for a number of hours, a day, or even longer. In that case, where is a woman’s Mahram, whom she needs to take care of her and to protect her life as well as her soul from Fitnah? Finding herself alone in such circumstances, a woman is easy prey to temptation.

6) It Is Recommended To Travel On Thursday, At The Beginning Of The Day

It is from the Prophet’s guidance that he loved to depart for his travels on Thursdays, at the beginning of the day. Ka’ab Ibn Maalik (R.A) said, “The Prophet (Pbuh) departed for the Battle of Tabook on Thursday, and he (Pbuh) loved to leave [for a journey or trip] on Thursday.” Ahmad related it thus: “When the Prophet (Pbuh) wanted to travel, he would rarely leave on any day other than Thursday.” [Ahmad, 15354] In another Hadeeth, Sakhr Al-Ghaamidee (R.A) related that the Prophet (Pbuh) said, “0 Allah, bless my Nation in its earliness.”

The narration continues: “And when he (the Prophet (Pbuh)) would send a company (a group of people for a specific mission) or an army, he would send them at the beginning of the day. And Sakhr (R.A) was a businessman; he  (R.A) would send his merchandise at the beginning of the day, and he then became rich and his wealth became abundant.” [Abu Daawood, 2606]

Question: What is the ruling for traveling on Friday?

Answer: According to the Mazhab (perhaps here meaning, according to the Mazhab of Imam Ahmad), if one must need travel on Friday, he may not travel after midday; so if he is still in his home city when midday comes to pass, he must perform the Jumu’ah prayer before he departs. It would perhaps be better if it were said: after the call to Jumu’ah prayer is made, as opposed to after noontime, for Allah (Swt) commanded Muslims to go to Jumu’ah and to leave off trade after the call for Jumu’ah prayer is made: “0 you who believe (Muslims)! When the call is proclaimed for the Salat (prayer) on the day of Friday (Jumu’ah prayer), come to the remembrance of Allah [Jumu’ah religious talk (Khutbah) and Salat (prayer)] and leave off business.” (Qur’an 62:9)

Nonetheless, the proponents of the first view say that, upon the entering of noontime, Jumu’ah prayer becomes compulsory, and the time for Jumu’ah prayer sets in, which is why one should not depart for a journey after noontime on Friday.

7) Supplications That Are Related To Travel

Sunnah compilations abound with invocations that a traveler should say, beginning with when he places his leg on his mount (or means of conveyance, such as a car) to the moment he returns home from his travels. Here are some of those invocations:

A) The supplication for mounting any means of conveyance: ‘Alee Ibn Rabee’ah said, “I saw ‘Alee (R.A) once when a mount was brought for him to climb on. When he placed his foot on the stirrup, he said, ‘Bismillah (In the name of Allah).’ When he was upright on its back, he said, ‘Alhamdulillah (All praise is to Allah).’ He then said: “Glory to Him Who has subjected this to us, and we could never have it (by our efforts). And verily, to Our Lord we indeed are to return!” (Qur’an 43:13,14)’

He then said, ‘Alhamdulillah (All praise is to Allah),’ three times, after which he said, ‘ Allahu akbar (Allah is the Greatest),’ three times. And then he said, ‘How perfect You are, 0 Allah, verily I have wronged my soul, so forgive me, for surely none can forgive sins except You.’ Next, he laughed. It was then said to him, ‘0 Leader of the Believers, what are you laughing about?’ He said, ‘I saw the Prophet (Pbuh) do as I [just] did, after which he laughed. I then asked him: 0 Messenger of Allah, what are you laughing about? He (Pbuh) said: “Verily, your Lord finds wonder at His slave when he says, forgive me my sins; He knows that, verily, ‘none forgives sins other than Me (i.e., other than Allah).” [Abu Daawood, 2602]

B) The Supplication for going on a trip and for returning from a trip: Ibn ‘Umar (R.A) related that when the Prophet would be upright on his riding camel, leaving for a journey, he (Pbuh) would say, “Allahuakbar (Allah is the Greatest),” three times. He (Pbuh) would then say: “Glory to Him Who has subjected this to us, and we could never have it (by our efforts). And verily, to Our Lord we indeed are to return!”. (Qur’an 43: 13,14)

“O Allah, we ask You for Birr and Taqwaa (When these terms are combined, birr refers to doing those actions which have been commanded, and Taqwaa refers to avoiding those actions which have been prohibited) in this journey of ours, and we ask You for deeds which please You. 0 Allah, facilitate our journey and let us cover its distance quickly. 0 Allah, You are the Companion on the journey and the Successor (A successor is one who succeeds another due to the latter’s absence or death. Allah succeeds us and guards those whom we leave behind when we die or are absent) over the family. 0 Allah, I take refuge with You from the difficulties of travel, from having a change of hearts and being in a bad predicament, and I take refuge in You from an ill-fated outcome with respect to wealth and family.” Upon returning, he would say the same supplication with the following addition: “We return, repent, worship and praise our Lord.” [Muslim, 1342]

Ibn ‘Umar (R.A) reported in another narration that when the Messenger of Allah (Pbuh) would be returning from battle, from Hajj, or from ‘Umrah, he (Pbuh) would say, ‘ Allahuakbar’ three times upon every high ground he came across. He (Pbuh) would then say, “None has the right to be worshipped except Allah, alone, without partner. To Him belongs all sovereignty and praise, and He is over all things omnipotent. We return, repent, worship, and praise our Lord. Allah fulfilled His promise, aided His servant, and single-handedly defeated the allies.” [Al-Baghawee, 1351]

C) What to say when one crosses the highness of a mountain pass or the lowness of a valley: At the end of the previous Hadeeth, ‘Ibn ‘Umar (R.A) said, “When the Prophet (Pbuh) and his army would rise up on mountain passes, they would say, ‘Allahuakbar (Allah is the Greatest),’ and when they would descend, they would Sabbihoo (glorify Allah (Swt) by saying, Subhaanallah,’ How perfect Allah is!). And the prayer was made in the same way (i.e., a worshipper glorifies Allah when descending for bowing and prostration and he says, Allahuakbar,’ when he is rising, for instance, from prostration).” [Abu Daawood, 2599]

D) The supplication for entering a village or something similar: Ibn Al-Qayyim said, “When the Prophet (Pbuh) would overlook a village, intending to enter it, he (Pbuh) would say,

“0 Allah, Lord of the seven heavens and all that they envelop, Lord of the seven earths and all that they carry, Lord of the devils and all whom they misguide, Lord of the winds and all whom they whisk away. I ask You for the goodness of this village, the goodness of its inhabitants and for all the goodness found within it, and I take refuge with You from the evil of this village, the evil of its inhabitants and from all the evil found within it.”

E) What the traveler should say at the time of Ash-Sahr (the end of the night just before dawn): Abu Hurairah (R.A) reported that when the Prophet (Pbuh) would be on a journey and when it was the time of As-Sahr, he (Pbuh) would say, “May a witness be witness to our praise of Allah for His favors and bounties upon us. Our Lord, protect us, show favor on us and deliver us from every evil. I take refuge in Allah from the Fire. “[Muslim, 2718]

Related Issue: A traveler should take advantage of the time he has during his journey, by supplicating for himself, for his parents, for his family, and for all those whom he loves. He should supplicate with persistence and humility, for the traveler’s supplications are answered. Abu Hurairah (R.A) reported that the Prophet (Pbuh) said, “Three supplications are answered; there is no doubt about them: the supplication of the father, the supplication of the traveler, and the supplication of the one who was wronged.” [Ahmad, 7458]

8) Voluntary prayers During Travel

A Sunnah practice that has practically been abandoned – which is all the more reason why we should apply it and revive it – is for the traveler to perform voluntary prayers and the Witr prayer on his riding animal or what is equivalent – in the seat of a plane, train, car, etc. The Prophet (Pbuh) would perform Witr and voluntary prayers while he was seated on his mount.

While a traveler prays voluntary prayers on his mount, he does not have to face the Qiblah – because of the obvious difficulty of doing so as the animal, or train, or plane, is moving – though it is best if he faces the Qiblah at least when he begins the prayer with At-Takbeer (with saying ‘Allahuakbar,’ Allah is the Greatest). Ibn ‘Umar (R.A) said, “The Messenger of Allah (Pbuh) used to pray during travel on his riding camel, [facing] whichever direction it was heading towards. He would make a gesture with his head [instead of making the regular movements], [and he would pray in this manner] the night prayer except for the compulsory prayers. And he would [also] perform the Witr prayer on his riding camel. [Abu Daawood, 1224] Therefore, it is recommended for a traveler to perform the Witr prayer as well as voluntary prayers on the means of conveyance he is using, for in doing so, he is following the Sunnah of the Prophet (Pbuh).

Question: If a traveler has no other choice, is it permissible for him to perform obligatory prayers in a plane, car, or train? Or should he delay his prayer until he reaches a place where he will be able to pray? And if the answer to the first question is yes, does he have to face the Qiblah?

Answer: The Permanent Council (Of Scholars In Saudi Arabia) gave the following answer to a similar question:
If a traveler is riding a car, train, plane, or four-legged animal; if by getting off to pray, he fears for his safety; and if he knows that, by delaying his prayer until he reaches his destination, the time for prayer will end, he may perform prayer in the best manner he is able to perform it – even if this means performing it in a seated position and using gestures of the head to replace the regular movements of prayer. This ruling is based on the general implications of the following verses:

“Allah burdens not a person beyond his scope.” (Qur’an 2:286)

“So keep your duty to Allah and fear Him as much as you can.” (Qur’an 64:16)

“And He has not laid upon you in religion any hardship.” (Qur’an 22:78)

Next, the question arises whether he has to face the Qiblah throughout the prayer or just in the beginning; or whether he may just face whichever direction the means of conveyance is heading towards. Again, the answer to this question depends on his ability in a given situation. If he is able to face the Qiblah throughout the prayer, then that is what he must do, for facing the Qiblah is one of the requisites of a valid obligatory prayer, regardless of whether one is a resident or a traveler. And if he is not able to face the Qiblah throughout the prayer, then he must fear Allah as much as he is able to by facing the Qiblah as much as he can, a ruling that is based on the above-mentioned proofs.

9) What The Traveler Should Say When He Stops Somewhere For A While

Whether it is to eat, sleep, or go to the washroom, the traveler often needs to stop and get down from his mount. In open terrain, far away from any city, there are predatory animals, pests, and devils. It is therefore from Allah’s favors that He has legislated for us, upon the tongue of His Prophet (Pbuh) a supplication we can say to protect us – by the will of Allah (Swt) – from the evil of all created beings. Khaulah Bint Hakeem As-Salmiyyah (R.A) reported that she heard the Messenger of Allah say, “Whoever descends at a place and then says, ‘I take refuge in Allah’s perfect words from the evil that He has created,’ nothing will harm him until he departs from that place.”[Ahmad, 26079]

We should learn a number of lessons from this Hadeeth: First, the supplication may be said when one stops anywhere or enters any place; it is not limited to the traveler who descends from his mount. Second, Allah’s Speech is one of His Attributes and is not something that is created; it is impossible that one should seek refuge with a created being, and upon this view is the group of Ahlus-Sunnah. Third, a person who says this supplication upon stopping somewhere is protected with the protection of Allah (Swt), so that nothing will harm him until he leaves. Al-Qurtubee said, “This narration is authentic and true; we know it is true based on the [authenticity of the] proof and on experience. Verily, since I heard this narration, I applied it and nothing harmed me until I abandoned it. A scorpion once bit me at nighttime…and upon reflection, I realized that I had forgotten to seek refuge [with Allah], using those words.”

10) It Is Recommended For Fellow Travelers To Gather Together When They Eat, Stop Somewhere

In unity Allah (Swt) has placed strength, honor, protection, and blessings, and in disunity He (Swt) has placed weakness, subjugation at the hands of one’s enemies, and a removal of blessings. So if people are traveling together, they should gather in the place they stop at to spend the night, and they should also eat together; in doing so, they will achieve many blessings.

Abu Tha’labah Al-Khushanee (R.A) said, “When people would stop at a place, they would scatter in mountain passes and valleys, and so the Messenger of Allah (Pbuh) said, “Verily, that you separate in these mountain passes and valleys is from the Shaitaan (the Devil).’ Thereafter, they would never stop at a place except that they would attach themselves to one another (stay close to one another), to the degree that it was said: if a Thaub (garment or cloth) were to be spread over them, it would cover all of them.” [Abu Daawood, 2628]

Blessings and an increase [in provision] – these result when people eat together. Wahshee Ibn Harb related from his father, who related from his father, that the Companions of the Messenger of Allah (Pbuh) said, “0 Messenger of Allah, verily, we eat but do not become filled.” He (Pbuh) said, “Then perhaps you separate from one another [when you eat].”

They said, “Yes.” He (Pbuh) said, “Then gather together upon your food and mention Allah’s name over it: [as a result] you will be blessed in it (in your food).” [Abu Daawood, 3746]

Related Issue: When people travel in a group, At-Tanaahud is recommended. At-Tanaahud is for each person from the group to give a certain amount of money to one of them, and that person is responsible for spending on all them; this way, they always eat together.

Imam Ahmad was once asked, “Which is more liked by you: for a man to eat in solitude or for him to eat with his companions?” He said, “For him to eat with his companions…” He then praised the practice of At-Tanaahud, saying, “When Al-Hasan (R.A) would travel, he would place his wealth along with their wealth (i.e., the wealth of his travel companions), and he would add an amount similar to that which he already gave – i.e., in secret.”

11) Sleeping During Travel

In open terrain, the traveler might find it necessary to sleep and rest from the toils of travel. In all matters, the Shariah instructs people to do what is beneficial to them for the short-term and long-term; regarding the issue in question, the Shariah instructs the traveler about where he should sleep, so that vermin and predatory animals do not harm him. Abu Hurairah (R.A) reported that the Messenger of Allah (Pbuh) said, “When you travel on fertile land (land on which there is an abundance of grass), then give camels their share of the ground; and if you travel on dry, barren land (or during a dry spell), then travel quickly on them (so as to work on the strength they already have and to safely arrive at the destination or at least to fertile land). And when you stop, at the end of the night to sleep or rest, then avoid the road, for at nighttime, it becomes the pathway of animals and the resting place of harmful vermin.” [Muslim, 1926]

An-Nawawee said, “This is one of the manners of traveling and stopping that the Prophet (Pbuh) guided us to. Harmful vermin and the beasts of the earth move about at nighttime on roads, because of the smoothness of roads and because they (the beasts and vermin) pick up any food that may have fallen down on the road…So if a person rests late at night on the road, something might pass by and harm him, which is why he should avoid resting on the road during that time.”

Related Issue: Because he is away from home, traveling to strange places and experiencing fatigue – the natural concomitant of travel – the traveler will most likely find that his sleep schedule becomes disturbed. It is therefore imperative for him to take the necessary steps to make sure he wakes up for Fajr prayer. These days, it has become easy to take those steps – many means are readily available during a journey; for example, one can buy an alarm clock or ask for a wake-up call at the hotel he is staying at. Even with these means readily available, many of us don’t wake up for Fajr prayer; and even though he did not have the same means at his disposal, the Prophet still made sure that he and his Companions (R.A) would always wake up for Fajr prayer. Abu Hurairah (R.A) said, “When the Messenger of Allah (Pbuh) was returning from the Battle of Khaibar, he continued to proceed home during the night until he became overcome by sleepiness. Then, he (Pbuh) stopped for the night and said to Bilal (R.A), “Stay alert for us during the night (to stand guard and to wake the others for prayer).” [Muslim, 680]

In another narration, Jubair Ibn Mut’im (R.A) said, “During one of his travels, the Messenger of Allah (Pbuh) said, ‘Who will stand guard for us tonight, so that we do not sleep in and miss the morning prayer (Fajr).’ Bilal (R.A) said, ‘I [will stand guard]…” [Ahmad, 16304]

And in yet another Hadeeth, Qataadah (R.A) said, “When the Prophet (Pbuh) would be on a journey and when he (Pbuh) would stop for the night, he would lie down on his right side. And if he would stop just before the morning, he would keep his elbow erect, while he would place (rest) his head on his hand (so that he would not miss prayer by entering into a state of deep sleep).” [Ahmad, 22126]

12) After Having Fulfilled The Goal Of His Journey, The Traveler Should Not Linger, But Should Instead Return Home Quickly

As soon as a traveler completes the mission of his journey, it is recommended for him to hurry home and not stay longer than necessary. Abu Hurairah (R.A) reported that the Prophet (Pbuh) said, “Travel is a share of torment: it prevents one of you from his food, his drink, and his sleep; so when he (one of you) fulfills his need, then let him hasten back to his family.” [Muslim, 1927]

In explaining this Hadeeth, Ibn Hajr said, “The Hadeeth implies that it is disliked for one to travel away from his family unless there is a need to do so. Furthermore, if one does travel, it is recommended for him to hurry home [as soon as he fulfills the purpose of his journey], especially if his family has no one to spend on them during his absence. By being a resident as opposed to a traveler, one gains the rest and comfort he needs to achieve betterment for this life and the Hereafter. Also, the resident has more strength for worship and is able to join his brothers in congregational prayer.”

13) It Is Disliked For A Traveler To Arrive Home To His Family During The Night

Jaabir Ibn ‘Abdullah (R.A) said, “The Prophet (Pbuh) forbade a man from returning suddenly (without warning) to his family during the night.” Muslim’s narration is related with this wording from the Prophet (Pbuh) “When one of you arrives [from a journey] during the night, then he should not go suddenly to his family (without warning), so that the woman whose husband was absent can remove the hair that surrounds her private parts and comb her disheveled hair.” The following narration is also found with Muslim: “The Messenger of Allah (Pbuh) prohibited that a man should return suddenly (without warning) to his family during the night, being suspicious of their treachery or searching out for their mistakes.” [Muslim, 715]

From these narrations, it is clear that a man should not return upon a sudden to his family, so that he does not see something from them – especially from his wife – that he dislikes. An-Nawawee said, “If a person has been away on a journey for a long time, it is disliked for him to return suddenly to his wife during the night. But if a man has left for only a short while and is expected to return during the night, then there is no harm in him returning during the night. This meaning is understood from the wording of one of the narrations: “If a man is absent for a long time.” Similarly, if a man is part of a large convoy or a returning army or some similar large group, if it is known that they are all arriving, and if his wife knows that he is returning with them, he may return home at any time, since the reason behind the prohibition is no longer present in his case. The point  is that a woman should be given time to prepare [and fix up her appearance], and that is achieved when she already knows that her husband is arriving.” In today’s times, a husband may return during the night and still avoid violating the prohibition by first calling his wife by telephone, informing her of his impending return.

14) When A Traveler Returns To His City, It Is Recommended For Him To Perform Two Units Of prayer In The Masjid

Upon returning from a journey, the first thing the Prophet (Pbuh) would hasten to do was perform two units of prayer in the Masjid. Ka’ab Ibn Maalik (R.A) said, “When the Prophet (Pbuh) would return from a journey during the morning, he (Pbuh) would enter the Masjid and perform two units of prayer before sitting down.” [Muslim, 2769] This is yet another Sunnah that has practically been abandoned. 0 Allah, help us to follow the Sunnah of Your Prophet (Pbuh) both outwardly and inwardly. And success lies with Allah (Swt).

Related Issue: The saying of Ka’ab (R.A) That the Prophet (Pbuh) was on arrival to the city before noon…” Implies that a passenger arriving at forbidden times of prayer is not permitted to perform two units of prayer. However, this is not the case. Ibn Hajar said on the authority of An-Nawawi: This Salat is meant for those arriving from travel and not “Greeting the Masjid” though it serve the same purpose.