You may be asking yourself the question, how can there be a dua for driving or riding in a vehicle. There were no cars that existed during the Prophet’s (ﷺ) time.
That’s a very valid concern, but the dua we’re sharing today was related in hadith book Jami’ At Tirmidhi, hadith #3446 for reference.
The context in which the dua was recited was right before getting on animal and heading on a journey. The modern day version of this would be travelling in your car and also wishing Allah for a safe journey.
You can listen to the audio version of the dua below:
Here’s the full hadith from the Chapter on What Has Been Related About What One Says When Riding An Animal:
Ali bin Rabi’ah said: “I witnessed Ali having an animal brought to him to ride. When he placed his foot in the stirrup he said: ‘In the Name of Allah,’ (Bismillāh) [three times]. So then, once he had ascended upon its back, he said: ‘All praise is due to Allah.’ (Alḥamdulillah) then he said: Glory is to Him Who has subjected this to us, and we were not able to do it. And, surely, to our Lord are we returning ( Subhanal-ladhi sakh-khara lana hadha, wa ma kunna lahu muqrinin, wa inna ila Rabbina lamunqalibun. ) Then he said: ‘All praise is due to Allah (Alḥamdulillah)’ – three times – and ‘Allah is the Greatest (Allahu Akbar)’ – three times – ‘Glory is to You, indeed I have wronged myself, so forgive me, for indeed none forgives sins except You (Subḥanaka inni qad ẓalamtu nafsi fa*ghfirli fa-innahu la yaghfirudh-dhunuba illa ant).’ Then he laughed. So I said: ‘O Commander of the Believer! What caused you to laugh?’ He said: ‘I saw the Messenger of Allah do as I did, then he (ﷺ) laughed, so I said, ‘What cause you to laugh?’ He said: ‘Indeed, your Lord is very pleased with His worshipper when he says: “O my Lord, forgive me my sins, indeed, no one other than You forgives sins.”
Grade : Sahih (Darussalam) Reference : Jami` at-Tirmidhi 3446 In-book reference : Book 48, Hadith 77
This authenticity of this dua can also be confirmed since it’s found directly in the Quran in Surah Zukhrufayat 13-14.
لِتَسْتَوُۥا۟ عَلَىٰ ظُهُورِهِۦ ثُمَّ تَذْكُرُوا۟ نِعْمَةَ رَبِّكُمْ إِذَا ٱسْتَوَيْتُمْ عَلَيْهِ وَتَقُولُوا۟ سُبْحَـٰنَ ٱلَّذِى سَخَّرَ لَنَا هَـٰذَا وَمَا كُنَّا لَهُۥ مُقْرِنِينَ
Litastawoo ‘alaa zuhoorihee summa tazkuroo ni’mata Rabbikum izastawaitum ‘alaihi wa taqooloo Subhaanal lazee sakhkhara lana haaza wa maa kunnaa lahoo muqrineen
That you may settle yourselves upon their backs and then remember the favor of your Lord when you have settled upon them and say. “Exalted is He who has subjected this to us, and we could not have [otherwise] subdued it.
وَإِنَّآ إِلَىٰ رَبِّنَا لَمُنقَلِبُونَ
Wa innaaa ilaa Rabbinaa lamunqaliboon
And indeed we, to our Lord, will [surely] return.”
Other Duas You May Be Interested in Learning:
Benefits of Powerful Dhikr Subhanallah Wa Bihamdihi
Dua For Parents
Dua hasbunallahu wa ni’mal wakeel
We all should make the effort to remember Allah before driving and inshallah he will protect us.
Abu Huraira reported Allah’s Messenger (pbuh) as saying that Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, thus stated: I am near to the thought of my servant as he thinks about me, and I am with him as he remembers me. And if he remembers me in his heart, I also remember him in my heart, and if he remembers me in assembly I remember him in assembly, better than his (remembrance), and if he draws near me by the span of a palm, I draw near him by the cubit, and if he draws near me by the cubit I draw near him by the space (covered by) two hands. And if he walks towards me, I rush towards him.
“Nothing shall ever happen to us except what Allah has ordained for us. He is our Mawla (protector).” And in Allah let the believers put their trust.Surah Taubah Verse 51.
The best way to get in the habit of reciting this dua is to print the image and to leave it right on the dashboard of your car or inside the cup holder. Just place it somewhere so that you’ll be reminded right away.
The idea is we don’t want to rely on will power and memory to recite this Dua. We are often easily distracted and forgetful. By placing the card we eliminate all reasons for failing to make this dua because we made it very easy.
