Dua Before Driving A Car (With Audio)

You may be asking yourself: how can there be a dua for driving or riding in a vehicle when there were no cars during the Prophet’s (ﷺ) time?

This is a very valid question. The dua shared here is referenced in the hadith collection Jami’ At Tirmidhi (Hadith #3446). Originally, this supplication was recited before mounting an animal to begin a journey—today, it translates perfectly to seeking Allah’s (سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ) protection while traveling by car, just as Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) did for his journeys.

The Dua (Short Version)

سبْحَانَ الَّذِي سَخَّرَ لَنَا هَذَا وَمَا كُنَّا لَهُ مُقْرِنِينَ وَإِنَّا إِلَى رَبِّنَا لَمُنْقَلِبُونَ

Subhanal-ladhi sakh-khara lana hadha, wa ma kunna lahu muqrinin, wa inna ila Rabbina lamunqalibun

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.

The Full Supplication from the Hadith

Ali bin Rabi’ah reported: “I witnessed Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) 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. Once he had ascended upon its back, he said: ‘All praise is due to Allah’ (Alḥamdulillah), then he recited the above dua. After that, he said: ‘All praise is due to Allah’ (Alḥamdulillah) three times, ‘Allah is the Greatest’ (Allahu Akbar) three times, and ‘Glory is to You, indeed I have wronged myself, so forgive me—for indeed none forgives sins except You’ (Subḥanaka inni qad ẓalamtu nafsi faghfirli fa-innahu la yaghfirudh-dhunuba illa ant). Then he laughed.

I asked: ‘O Commander of the Believers! What caused you to laugh?’ He replied: ‘I saw the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) do exactly as I did, then he laughed. I asked him: “What caused you to laugh, O Messenger of Allah?” 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.’”’”

Hadith Grade: Sahih (Authentic, Darussalam)

Reference: Jami` at-Tirmidhi 3446

Full Hadith in Arabic

حَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الأَحْوَصِ، عَنْ أَبِي إِسْحَاقَ، عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ رَبِيعَةَ، قَالَ شَهِدْتُ عَلِيًّا أُتِيَ بِدَابَّةٍ لِيَرْكَبَهَا فَلَمَّا وَضَعَ رِجْلَهُ فِي الرِّكَابِ قَالَ بِسْمِ اللَّهِ ثَلاَثًا فَلَمَّا اسْتَوَى عَلَى ظَهْرِهَا قَالَ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ ثُمَّ قَالَ ‏:‏ ‏(‏ سبْحَانَ الَّذِي سَخَّرَ لَنَا هَذَا وَمَا كُنَّا لَهُ مُقْرِنِينَ وَإِنَّا إِلَى رَبِّنَا لَمُنْقَلِبُونَ ‏)‏ ثُمَّ قَالَ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ ثَلاَثًا وَاللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ ثَلاَثًا سُبْحَانَكَ إِنِّي قَدْ ظَلَمْتُ نَفْسِي فَاغْفِرْ لِي فَإِنَّهُ لاَ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ إِلاَّ أَنْتَ ‏.‏ ثُمَّ ضَحِكَ ‏.‏ فَقُلْتُ مِنْ أَىِّ شَيْءٍ ضَحِكْتَ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ قَالَ رَأَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم صَنَعَ كَمَا صَنَعْتُ ثُمَّ ضَحِكَ فَقُلْتُ مِنْ أَىِّ شَيْءٍ ضَحِكْتَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ قَالَ ‏”‏ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ لَيَعْجَبُ مِنْ عَبْدِهِ إِذَا قَالَ رَبِّ اغْفِرْ لِي ذُنُوبِي إِنَّهُ لاَ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ غَيْرُكَ ‏”‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ وَفِي الْبَابِ عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ رضى الله عنهما ‏.‏ قَالَ هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ ‏.‏

Quranic Confirmation

This dua’s authenticity is further supported by its presence in the Quran, in Surah Zukhruf (43:13-14):

لِتَسْتَوُۥا۟ عَلَىٰ ظُهُورِهِۦ ثُمَّ تَذْكُرُوا۟ نِعْمَةَ رَبِّكُمْ إِذَا ٱسْتَوَيْتُمْ عَلَيْهِ وَتَقُولُوا۟ سُبْحَـٰنَ ٱلَّذِى سَخَّرَ لَنَا هَـٰذَا وَمَا كُنَّا لَهُۥ مُقْرِنِينَ وَإِنَّآ إِلَىٰ رَبِّنَا لَمُنقَلِبُونَ

Litastawoo ‘alaa zuhoorihee summa tazkuroo ni’mata Rabbikum izastawaitum ‘alaihi wa taqooloo Subhaanal lazee sakhkhara lana haaza wa maa kunnaa lahoo muqrineen wa innaaa ilaa Rabbinaa lamunqaliboon

That you may settle yourselves upon their backs, 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.”

Why Recite This Dua Before Driving?

We should all strive to remember Allah (سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ) before driving—by His grace, He will protect us. Abu Huraira reported the Prophet (pbuh) as saying that Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, stated: “I am near to the thought of my servant as he thinks about me, and I am with him as he remembers me. If he remembers me in his heart, I also remember him in my heart; if he remembers me in assembly, I remember him in assembly better than his remembrance. If he draws near me by the span of a palm, I draw near him by a cubit; if he draws near me by a cubit, I draw near him by the space of two hands. And if he walks towards me, I rush towards him.”

As the Quran reminds us: “Nothing shall ever happen to us except what Allah has ordained for us. He is our Mawla (protector).” (Surah Taubah 9:51)

Tip to Make This a Habit

To remember the dua consistently, print a copy and place it on your car’s dashboard or in the cup holder. This eliminates forgetfulness and distraction, making it easy to recite the supplication before every journey—no need to rely solely on willpower or memory.