What did Prophet Muhammad say when he boarded any form of transport?
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عن علي بن ربيعة قال شهدت عليا أتي بداية ليركبها فلما وضع رجله في الركاب قال بسم الله ثلاثاً فلما استوى على ظهرها قال الحمد لله ثم قال سبحان الَّذِي سَحْرَ لَنَا هَذَا وَمَا كُنَّا لَهُ مُقْرِنِينَ وَإِنَّا إِلَى رَبِّنَا لَمُنقَلِبُونَ ثُم قال الْحَمدُ لله ثلاثاً والله أكبر ثلاثاً سُبْحانَكَ إِنِّي قد ظلمتُ نفسي فاغفر لي فإنه لا يغفر الذنوب إلا أنت ثم ضحك قُلْتُ مِنْ أي شيء ضحكتيا أمير المؤمنين قال رأيتُ رسول الله صنع كما صنعتُ. ( ابو داود والترمذي )
‘Ali ibn Rabee’ah said, “I saw ‘Ali when an animal was brought to him to ride. When he put his foot in the stirrup, he said, “In the name of Allah!” three times. When he settled on its back, he said, “Praise be to Allah!” He then said, “Exalted is He Who has subjected this to us, and we could not have [otherwise] subdued it. And indeed we, to our Lord, will [surely] return “.He then said, ‘Praise be to Allah!” three times and ‘Allah is the Greatest!” three times. He said, “Praise be to You! Indeed, I have wronged myself. So, forgive me. For none forgives sins but You.” He then laughed.
I asked,” What made you laugh, O Ameer of the Believers?” He said, “I saw Allah’s Messenger do as I have done.” (Aboo Dawood and Tirmidhi)
- This du’aa is not only for getting on a horse, or a camel. It can be said when boarding any kind of transport. This is because horses are used to transport people from one place to another. This is exactly the same function of cars, trains, boats, planes, buses etc. This is shown in the following aayat in the Qur’aan:
وَقَالَ ٱرْكَبُوا۟ فِيهَا بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ مَجْر۪ىٰهَا وَمُرْسَىٰهَآ ( سورة هود : ٤١)
“And [Nooh] said, ‘Embark therein; in the name of Allah is its course and its anchorage”.” (Soorat Hood: 41)
وَٱلَّذِى خَلَقَ ٱلْأَزْوَٰجَ كُلَّهَا وَجَعَلَ لَكُم مِّنَ ٱلْفُلْكِ وَٱلْأَنْعَـٰمِ مَا تَرْكَبُونَ (١٢) لِتَسْتَوُۥا۟ عَلَىٰ ظُهُورِهِۦ ثُمَّ تَذْكُرُوا۟ نِعْمَةَ رَبِّكُمْ إِذَا ٱسْتَوَيْتُمْ عَلَيْهِ وَتَقُولُوا۟ سُبْحَـٰنَ ٱلَّذِى سَخَّرَ لَنَا هَـٰذَا وَمَا كُنَّا لَهُۥ مُقْرِنِينَ (١٣) وَإِنَّآ إِلَىٰ رَبِّنَا لَمُنقَلِبُونَ (١٤) (سورة الزخرف : ١٢ – ١٤)
“And who created the species, all of them, and has made for you of ships and animals those which you mount. 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. And indeed we, to our Lord, will [surely] return.” (Soorat az-Zukhruf: 12-14)
What we learn from the lesson:
- There is a du’aa that is said when boarding any means of transport.
