Every time we leave our homes, there are more hazards than we think be it a ride in the car, doing something for our job, or going to buy something. The Prophet (SAW) gave his household a particular dua whenever they were going out of the house. We will discover the precise dua along with its meaning and method of performing it.
What Is the Dua for Leaving the House? (Arabic, Transliteration, Translation)
Umm Salamah (may Allah be pleased with her) reported that the Prophet ﷺ never left her house without raising his eyes to the sky and saying:
Arabic: بِسْمِ اللَّهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ عَلَى اللَّهِ اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ أَنْ أَضِلَّ أَوْ أُضَلَّ أَوْ أَزِلَّ أَوْ أُزَلَّ أَوْ أَظْلِمَ أَوْ أُظْلَمَ أَوْ أَجْهَلَ أَوْ يُجْهَلَ عَلَيَّ
Transliteration: Bismillah, tawakkaltu ‘ala Allah. Allahumma inni a’udhu bika an adilla aw udalla, aw azilla aw uzalla, aw azlima aw uzlama, aw ajhala aw yujhala ‘alayya.
Translation: “In the name of Allah, I place my trust in Allah. O Allah, I seek refuge in You lest I stray or be led astray, lest I slip or be made to slip, lest I wrong others or be wronged, lest I behave foolishly or be treated foolishly.”
This is recorded in Sunan Abi Dawud 5094 and Jami’ at-Tirmidhi 3427, and classed as Hasan Sahih by At-Tirmidhi.
Meaning and Significance of the Dua
Notice what this dua actually asks for. It’s not a generic “keep me safe” — it names eight specific dangers, paired off:
- Straying from the right path, or leading someone else astray
- Slipping into error, or being tripped into one by someone else
- Wronging another person, or being wronged yourself
- Acting foolishly, or being treated foolishly
That structure matters. Every time you leave your house, you’re both a potential source of harm and a potential target of it. The dua covers both directions at once — a kind of built-in humility that a shorter phrase couldn’t carry. It also opens with tawakkul (trust in Allah), which sets the tone before the requests even begin: you’re not walking out the door relying on your own caution alone.
When and How to Recite It
The timing is simple: say it right as you step outside, before you’ve gone anywhere. Umm Salamah’s report specifically mentions the Prophet ﷺ raising his eyes to the sky as he said it — a small physical marker that turned a habitual moment into a conscious one.
A few practical notes:
- Say it in Arabic if you can, even slowly; recite the transliteration or translation while you’re memorizing it
- It doesn’t need wudu or any preparation — just the moment you leave
- Teach it to children before they walk out the door alone; it’s short enough to memorize in a day or two, and Iqra’s memorization program can help build that habit alongside other short duas
- Some scholars note it can be paired with the shorter formula — “Bismillah, tawakkaltu ‘ala Allah, wa la hawla wa la quwwata illa billah” — reported in Abu Dawud 5095, though the two are separate narrations, not one combined text
What Happens When You Say This Dua
There’s a specific promise attached to the related dua in Abu Dawud 5095, narrated by Anas ibn Malik: when a person says “Bismillah, tawakkaltu ‘ala Allah, wa la hawla wa la quwwata illa billah” upon leaving home, it is said to him, “You are guided, defended, and protected.” The hadith adds that the shayateen (devils) then withdraw from him, and one says to another, “How can you deal with a man who has been guided, defended, and protected?”
This isn’t attached word-for-word to the Umm Salamah version, but the two duas are often recited together for this reason — trust in Allah paired with a request for protection from error and injustice. Together they frame leaving the house as an act of worship, not just logistics.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
A few things worth correcting early, before they become habit:
- Rushing through it without meaning — the words matter, but so does actually meaning them
- Mixing up the two duas — the Umm Salamah version and the Anas ibn Malik version are distinct narrations; it’s fine to say both, but know which is which
- Skipping it on “short” trips — the Sunnah doesn’t attach a distance threshold; even a quick trip to the mailbox counts
- Learning it from an unverified source — small changes in wording change the meaning, so it helps to learn the exact Arabic from a reliable teacher rather than a random social post; working with one of Iqra’s teachers is a solid way to get the pronunciation and wording right
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the dua for leaving the house authentic?
Yes. It’s recorded in Sunan Abi Dawud (5094) and Jami’ at-Tirmidhi (3427), narrated by Umm Salamah. At-Tirmidhi classified it as Hasan Sahih.
Can I say it in English instead of Arabic?
It’s best to learn the Arabic, since that’s the exact wording taught by the Prophet ﷺ. If you’re still learning, reciting the meaning in your own language while memorizing the Arabic is fine.
Do I need to say both duas every time I leave?
No either narration fulfills the sunnah. Many people combine them out of habit, but reciting just one is sufficient.
What if I forget to say it before leaving?
Say it as soon as you remember, even a few steps outside. There’s no specific hadith penalty for forgetting; the point is building the habit, not perfect execution.
Is there a dua for entering the house too?
Yes, a related hadith (Abu Dawud 5096) describes what to say upon entering — mentioning Allah’s name and greeting the household. That’s a distinct dua from the one for leaving.
Conclusion
The dua for leaving the house takes seconds to say but reframes something you already do multiple times a day. Learning the exact wording — and actually meaning it each time you step outside is a small, consistent way to carry Allah’s protection with you into whatever the day holds.