Travel and Its Etiquette

The Second Topic

Travel and Its Etiquette

Travel in the language: covering a distance.

In Islamic law, it means: intending to cover the distance recognized as travel. The commonly cited measure is approximately sixteen farsakhs—four burud, or forty-eight miles, about eighty kilometres—the distance covered in two unhurried days at a moderate pace by pack animals and on foot. Al-Bukhari (may Allah have mercy on him) said: (The Prophet (peace be upon him) called a day and a night safar (travel) (1). Ibn ‘Abbas and Ibn ‘Umar used to shorten the prayer and break their fast over four burud, which is sixteen farsakhs (2)) (3).

Its ruling: Travel may be for many purposes, religious and worldly. Its ruling follows the purpose for which the journey is made: If it is for an obligatory act of worship, it is obligatory—such as the journey for obligatory Hajj. If it is for a recommended act of worship, it is recommended—such as travel for a non-obligatory ‘Umrah, and visiting the mosque of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him). If it is for a permissible matter, it is permissible—such as travel for lawful trade. If it is for a disliked matter, it is disliked—such as a person travelling alone, except for something unavoidable. If it is for a forbidden matter, it is forbidden—such as travel for disobedience.

From the etiquettes of travel in Hajj: (1) Sincerity of intention to Allah (glorified and exalted be He): he intends with his journey, his Hajj, his words, his deeds, and his spending the countenance of Allah Most High. (2) That he fulfils what Allah has obligated upon him of duties, such as establishing the five daily prayers; that he avoids the forbidden; that he is keen to perform the recommended deeds; and that he keeps away from the disliked.

(3) That he is keen to choose righteous companions; that he gives them sincere advice, urges them to good, enjoins upon them what is right and forbids them what is wrong, and calls them to every virtue with wisdom and good admonition. (4) That he bids farewell to his family and loved ones, and writes his will—especially concerning the rights due upon him. (5) That he adopts noble manners and generosity in body, knowledge, and wealth: he helps whoever needs assistance, gives knowledge to whoever seeks it and needs it, and is generous with his money, spending it on his own needs and the needs of his brothers. He should be patient with whatever harshness, bad manners, and conduct he encounters from his companions, and should strive for harmony and the spread of love and concord among them. (6) That he learns the rulings of Hajj and ‘Umrah, and is keen to acquire reliable books that rest upon evidence from the Book and the Sunnah and upon the way of the salaf of this ummah—the Companions, the Followers, and the imams of the religion who came after them; and that he keeps away from books containing innovations, superstitions, and falsehoods—such as books that urge visiting particular mosques and specific places in a manner not legislated, like the Two Sacred Mosques and the Hajj sites, or that assign fixed supplications to the tawaf and the sa‘i, and other things for which no legal evidence has been reported.

(7) That he is keen to observe the prescribed remembrances and supplications at their times, places, and situations in which they were reported—such as the supplication of travel narrated by Muslim from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both): when the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) settled on his camel, setting out on a journey, he would say takbir three times, then say: “Glory be to the One who has subjected this to us, and we could never have had it by our own efforts. Indeed, to our Lord we will return. O Allah, we ask You on this journey of ours for righteousness and piety, and for deeds that please You. O Allah, make this journey of ours easy for us, and fold up its distance. O Allah, You are the Companion on the journey and the Successor over the family. O Allah, I seek refuge in You from the hardship of travel, the sadness of the sight, and an evil return in wealth and family.” And when he returned he would say them, adding: “Returning, repentant, worshipping, and praising our Lord.” (1)

And from the Sunnah: to say takbir whenever he ascends a high place, and tasbih when he descends to a low place. From Jabir ibn ‘Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with them both), who said: “When we ascended we said takbir, and when we descended we said tasbih.” (1)

And when he alights at a place, let him say: “I seek refuge in the perfect words of Allah from the evil of what He has created”—for whoever alights at a place and says it, nothing will harm him until he departs from it. From Khawlah bint Hakim al-Sulamiyyah (may Allah be pleased with her), who said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) say: “Whoever alights at a place and then says, ‘I seek refuge in the perfect words of Allah from the evil of what He has created,’ nothing will harm him until he departs from that place.” (2)

(8) Adhering to instructions: the pilgrim and the one performing ‘Umrah must adhere to the regulations concerning the organization of Hajj and ‘Umrah, in obedience to Allah Most High, who commanded obedience to those in authority. Allah Most High said: ﴿يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓاْ أَطِيعُواْ ٱللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُواْ ٱلرَّسُولَ وَأُوْلِي ٱلۡأَمۡرِ مِنكُمۡۖ﴾ [O you who have believed, obey Allah and obey the Messenger and those in authority among you.] (An-Nisa 59) and the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: “Upon the Muslim is hearing and obeying in what he loves and what he dislikes, unless he is commanded to disobedience.” (3) And because adherence to that achieves benefit and repels harm from the pilgrims and those performing ‘Umrah.

His Eminence Shaykh ‘Abd al-‘Aziz ibn Baz (may Allah have mercy on him) said: “What is required of the pilgrims, may Allah grant them success, is adherence to the instructions issued by the state, may Allah grant it success, for the benefit of the pilgrims; for Allah, glorified be He, has made hearing and obeying those in authority obligatory in what is good, and the instructions the state issues for the benefit of the pilgrims are part of that good. Violating them is a sin and a deficiency in reward.” (1) Included in this is adherence to preventive instructions and measures to stop the spread of epidemics, because that is among taking the means one is religiously commanded to take.