He then calls us to act upon the hadith of the Prophet ﷺ:

سَافِروا تَصِحُّوا سَافِروا تُرْزَقُوا

“Travel in the land, and you will be blessed with good health; travel in the land and you will be provided for.”[1]

Firstly, he says, we should intend by travelling obeying the command of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ to travel. We should then intend seeking provision – not merely material provision, but also spiritual provision – knowledge, guidance and light – which distinguishes man from animals. We should seek good health for our bodies, but more importantly we should seek to be healed from attachment to this world and other diseases of the heart.

We should also intend visiting the pious in the place to which we are travelling and seeking their blessings (barakah), for in every town there is a group of the people of truth, who protect that town; we should intend calling people to Allah (da`wah) and benefiting people with what knowledge we possess and teaching the ignorant and seeking in all of this the pleasure of Allah.

Beware of being cut off from Allah by being distracted by the adornment of the lands to which you are travelling and by seeking base pleasures as the peoples of those lands do. Be like someone who is merely passing by.

If you are deciding whether or not to do something, such as travelling, then bring the Chosen One ﷺ to your heart, consult him and then go with whatever your heart settles upon. If you find any of the pious then consult them too.

 

 Prayer for Travelling

Habib `Ali recommended repeating this prayer often, especially when one is travelling:

اللهُمَّ إنِّي في قَبْضَتِكَ حَيْثُما كُنْتُ فَلاحِظْني بِعَيْنِ عِنَايَتِكَ حَيْثُما كُنْتُ

“O Allah, I am in Your complete control wherever I am, so bless me with Your complete care wherever I am.”

 

 

[1] Narrated by al-Suyuti