What he asked for on the road besides safety
Two of the four requests are about character.
أَسْأَلُكَ فِي سَفَرِي هَذَا مِنَ الْبِرِّ وَالتَّقْوَى وَمِنَ الْعَمَلِ مَا تَرْضَى اللَّهُمَّ هَوِّنْ عَلَيْنَا الْمَسِيرَ وَاطْوِ عَنَّا بُعْدَ الأَرْضِ
Asʾaluka fī safarī hādhā mina-l-birri wa-t-taqwā wa mina-l-ʿamali mā tarḍā. Allāhumma hawwin ʿalaynā-l-masīra wa-ṭwi ʿannā buʿda-l-arḍ
“I ask You on this journey of mine for goodness and mindfulness, and for the deeds that please You. O Allah, make the going easy on us and fold up the distance of the earth for us.”
Where this comes from
It asks about who he will be on the road before it asks about the road. It goes on: O Allah, You are the companion on the journey and the one left in charge of the family.
The full narration
Ibn `Umar narrated that:When the Prophet (ﷺ) wanted to travel, when he mounted his riding camel, he would say the Takbir three times and say: 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 (Subḥān alladhī sakh-khara lanā hādhā wa mā kunnā lahū muqrinīn. Wa innā ilā rabbinā lamunqalibūn). Then he would say: “O Allah, I ask You in this journey of mine from the righteousness and piety and actions that which you are pleased with. O Allah, ease for us the path, and make near for us the distance of the land. O Allah, You are the companion in the journey, and the caretaker for the family. O Allah, accompany us in our journey, and take care of our families (Allāhumma innī as’aluka fī safarī hādhā minal-birri wat-taqwā, wa minal-`amali mā tarḍā. Allāhumma hawwin `alainal-masīra, waṭwi `annā bu`dal-arḍ. Allāhumma antaṣ-ṣāḥibu fis safari wal-khalīfatu fil-ahli. Allāhumma aṣḥabnā fī safarinā wakhlufnā fī ahlinā).” And when he would return to his family, he would say: “(We are) Returning, if Allah wills, repenting, worshipping, and to our Lord directing the praise (Ā’ibūna in shā’ Allāh, tā’ibūna `ābidūna lirabbinā hāmidūn).”
Source
Jāmiʿ at-Tirmidhī · 3447
- Ahmad Muhammad Shakir: Sahih
- Al-Albani: Sahih
- Zubair Ali Zai: Sahih Muslim