Prayer When Leaving One ’s Home

رَأَيْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع يُحَرِّكُ شَفَتَيْهِ حِينَ أَرَادَ أَنْ يَخْرُجَ وَ هُوَ قَائِمٌ عَلَى الْبَابِ فَقُلْتُ إِنِّي رَأَيْتُكَ تُحَرِّكُ شَفَتَيْكَ حِينَ خَرَجْتَ فَهَلْ قُلْتَ شَيْئاً قَالَ نَعَمْ إِنَّ الْإِنْسَانَ إِذَا خَرَجَ مِنْ مَنْزِلِهِ قَالَ حِينَ يُرِيدُ أَنْ يَخْرُجَ اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ ثَلَاثاً- بِاللَّهِ أَخْرُجُ وَ بِاللَّهِ أَدْخُلُ وَ عَلَى اللَّهِ أَتَوَكَّلُ ثَلَاثَ مَرَّا

“Once I saw Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) moving his lips when he wanted to go out of his house while standing at the door. I said, ‘I saw you at the door moving your lips when coming out, did you say something?’ The Imam said, ‘Yes, when a man is leaving his home he should say, “Allah is greater than can be described, [three t

أَتَيْتُ بَابَ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ ع فَوَافَقْتُهُ حِينَ خَرَجَ مِنَ الْبَابِ فَقَالَ بِسْمِ اللَّهِ آمَنْتُ بِاللَّهِ وَ تَوَكَّلْتُ عَلَى اللَّهِ‌ ثُمَّ قَالَ يَا أَبَا حَمْزَةَ إِنَّ الْعَبْدَ إِذَا خَرَجَ مِنْ مَنْزِلِهِ عَرَضَ لَهُ الشَّيْطَانُ فَإِذَا قَالَ بِسْمِ اللَّهِ قَالَ الْمَلَكَانِ كُفِيتَ فَإِذَا قَالَ آمَنْتُ بِاللَّهِ قَالا هُدِيتَ- فَإِذَا قَالَ‌ تَوَكَّلْتُ عَلَى اللَّهِ‌ قَالا وُقِيتَ فَيَتَ

“Once I went to see Ali ibn al-Husayn (a.s.) and met him at the door when he was coming out saying, ‘In the name of Allah, I believe in Allah, and I place my trust in Allah,’ he then said, ‘O abu Hamza, when a servant (of Allah) comes out of his door a Satan stands on his way, when he says, “In the name of Allah,” two

اسْتَأْذَنْتُ عَلَى أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ ع فَخَرَجَ إِلَيَّ وَ شَفَتَاهُ تَتَحَرَّكَانِ فَقُلْتُ لَهُ فَقَالَ أَ فَطَنْتَ لِذَلِكَ يَا ثُمَالِيُّ قُلْتُ نَعَمْ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ قَالَ إِنِّي وَ اللَّهِ تَكَلَّمْتُ بِكَلَامٍ مَا تَكَلَّمَ بِهِ أَحَدٌ قَطُّ إِلَّا كَفَاهُ اللَّهُ مَا أَهَمَّهُ مِنْ أَمْرِ دُنْيَاهُ وَ آخِرَتِهِ قَالَ قُلْتُ لَهُ أَخْبِرْنِي بِهِ قَالَ نَعَمْ مَنْ قَالَ حِينَ يَخْرُجُ مِنْ مَنْزِلِهِ- بِسْمِ ا

“In the name of Allah, enough for me is Allah, I place my trust in Allah. O Lord, I ask You to grant me all good in my affairs. I seek protection with You against the humiliation in this world and of torment in the next life,” Allah will suffice him in all that is important to him of worldly or of hereafter.’”

مَنْ قَالَ حِينَ يَخْرُجُ مِنْ بَابِ دَارِهِ- أَعُوذُ بِمَا عَاذَتْ بِهِ مَلَائِكَةُ اللَّهِ مِنْ شَرِّ هَذَا الْيَوْمِ الْجَدِيدِ الَّذِي إِذَا غَابَتْ شَمْسُهُ لَمْ تَعُدْ مِنْ شَرِّ نَفْسِي وَ مِنْ شَرِّ غَيْرِي وَ مِنْ شَرِّ الشَّيَاطِينِ- وَ مِنْ شَرِّ مَنْ نَصَبَ لِأَوْلِيَاءِ اللَّهِ وَ مِنْ شَرِّ الْجِنِّ وَ الْإِنْسِ وَ مِنْ شَرِّ السِّبَاعِ وَ الْهَوَامِّ وَ مِنْ شَرِّ رُكُوبِ الْمَحَارِمِ كُلِّهَا أُجِيرُ

“Whoever says, when coming out of his door, ‘I seek protection with that by which the angels of Allah seek protection, against the evil of this new day which when it is its sunset it will not come back, I seek protection against the evil of my soul and the evil of the others, I seek protection against Satan and those w

إِذَا خَرَجْتَ مِنْ مَنْزِلِكَ فَقُلْ بِسْمِ اللَّهِ‌ تَوَكَّلْتُ عَلَى اللَّهِ‌ لَا حَوْلَ وَ لَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاللَّهِ اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ خَيْرَ مَا خَرَجْتُ لَهُ وَ أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا خَرَجْتُ لَهُ اللَّهُمَّ أَوْسِعْ عَلَيَّ مِنْ فَضْلِكَ وَ أَتْمِمْ عَلَيَّ نِعْمَتَكَ وَ اسْتَعْمِلْنِي فِي طَاعَتِكَ وَ اجْعَلْ رَغْبَتِي فِيمَا عِنْدَكَ وَ تَوَفَّنِي عَلَى مِلَّتِكَ وَ مِلَّةِ رَسُولِكَ ص.

“When leaving out of your house say, ‘In the name of Allah, I place my trust in Allah, and there are no means and no power without Allah. O Lord, I beg You for the best of that for which I have come out and I seek protection against the evil of that for which I have come out. O Lord, expand for me from Your generosity,

كَانَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع إِذَا خَرَجَ يَقُولُ- اللَّهُمَّ بِكَ خَرَجْتُ وَ لَكَ أَسْلَمْتُ وَ بِكَ آمَنْتُ وَ عَلَيْكَ تَوَكَّلْتُ اللَّهُمَّ بَارِكْ لِي فِي يَوْمِي هَذَا وَ ارْزُقْنِي فَوْزَهُ وَ فَتْحَهُ وَ نَصْرَهُ وَ طَهُورَهُ وَ هُدَاهُ وَ بَرَكَتَهُ وَ اصْرِفْ عَنِّي شَرَّهُ وَ شَرَّ مَا فِيهِ بِسْمِ اللَّهِ وَ بِاللَّهِ وَ اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ وَ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعالَمِينَ* اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي قَدْ خَ

6. A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Muhammad ibn Ali from ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn abu Hashim from abu Khadijah who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) when coming out of his house would say, ‘O Lord, with Your help I have come out, to You I am submitted, in You I believe, and in Y

كَانَ أَبِي ع إِذَا خَرَجَ مِنْ مَنْزِلِهِ قَالَ- بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيمِ* خَرَجْتُ بِحَوْلِ اللَّهِ وَ قُوَّتِهِ لَا بِحَوْلٍ مِنِّي‌[1] وَ لَا قُوَّتِي بَلْ بِحَوْلِكَ وَ قُوَّتِكَ يَا رَبِّ مُتَعَرِّضاً لِرِزْقِكَ فَأْتِنِي بِهِ فِي عَافِيَةٍ.

“My father when coming out of his house would say, ‘(I begin) in the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful. I have come out by means and power of Allah and not by my own means and power, but, O Lord, by Your power and means, in search for sustenance from You, so grant me sustenance in good health.’”

قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع‌ مَنْ قَرَأَ قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ حِينَ يَخْرُجُ مِنْ مَنْزِلِهِ عَشْرَ مَرَّاتٍ لَمْ يَزَلْ فِي حِفْظِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ وَ كِلَاءَتِهِ حَتَّى يَرْجِعَ إِلَى مَنْزِلِهِ‌[2].

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) has said, ‘If one recites Chapter 112 of the Holy Quran when coming out of his house, ten times, he will remain in the protection of Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, and in His custody until he returns home.’”

قَالَ أَبُو الْحَسَنِ ع‌ إِذَا أَرَدْتَ السَّفَرَ فَقِفْ عَلَى بَابِ دَارِكَ وَ اقْرَأْ فَاتِحَةَ الْكِتَابِ أَمَامَكَ وَ عَنْ يَمِينِكَ وَ عَنْ شِمَالِكَ وَ قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ أَمَامَكَ وَ عَنْ يَمِينِكَ وَ عَنْ شِمَالِكَ وَ قُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ النَّاسِ‌ وَ قُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ الْفَلَقِ‌ أَمَامَكَ وَ عَنْ يَمِينِكَ وَ عَنْ شِمَالِكَ ثُمَّ قُلِ اللَّهُمَّ احْفَظْنِي وَ احْفَظْ مَا مَعِي وَ سَلِّمْنِي وَ سَلِّ

9. A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Musa ibn al-Qasim from Sabbah al-Hadhdha’ who has said the following: “Abu al-Hassan (a.s.) has said, ‘When you like to travel, stand at the door of your house and recite Chapter one of the Holy Quran to your front, right and left and Chapter 1 12 of

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ خَرَجْتُ وَ عَلَى اللَّهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ لَا حَوْلَ وَ لَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاللَّهِ.

“Abu Ja’far (a.s.) when coming out of the house would say, ‘In the name of Allah, I have come out, in Allah I have place my trust, and there are no means and no power without Allah.’”

يَا صَبَّاحُ لَوْ كَانَ الرَّجُلُ مِنْكُمْ إِذَا أَرَادَ سَفَراً قَامَ عَلَى بَابِ دَارِهِ تِلْقَاءَ وَجْهِهِ الَّذِي يَتَوَجَّهُ لَهُ فَقَرَأَ الْحَمْدَ أَمَامَهُ وَ عَنْ يَمِينِهِ وَ عَنْ شِمَالِهِ وَ الْمُعَوِّذَتَيْنِ أَمَامَهُ وَ عَنْ يَمِينِهِ وَ عَنْ شِمَالِهِ وَ قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ أَمَامَهُ وَ عَنْ يَمِينِهِ وَ عَنْ شِمَالِهِ وَ آيَةَ الْكُرْسِيِّ أَمَامَهُ وَ عَنْ يَمِينِهِ وَ عَنْ شِمَالِهِ ثُمَّ قَال

“O Sabbah, if any of you likes to go on a journey he should stand at the door of his house facing the direction of his journey and recite Chapter one of the Holy Quran to his front, right and left. Chapters 114 and 113 to his front, right and left. Chapter 112 to his front, right and left, and verse 255 of Chapter two

إِذَا خَرَجْتَ مِنْ مَنْزِلِكَ فِي سَفَرٍ أَوْ حَضَرٍ فَقُلْ- بِسْمِ اللَّهِ آمَنْتُ بِاللَّهِ‌ تَوَكَّلْتُ عَلَى اللَّهِ‌ ما شاءَ اللَّهُ‌ لَا حَوْلَ وَ لَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاللَّهِ فَتَلَقَّاهُ الشَّيَاطِينُ‌ فَتَنْصَرِفُ‌[1] وَ تَضْرِبُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ[2] وُجُوهَهَا وَ تَقُولُ مَا سَبِيلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ- وَ قَدْ سَمَّى اللَّهَ وَ آمَنَ بِهِ وَ تَوَكَّلَ عَلَيْهِ وَ قَالَ‌ ما شاءَ اللَّهُ‌ لَا حَوْلَ وَ لَا قُوَّةَ إِ

“When you come out of your house for a journey or arrive home say, ‘In the name of Allah, I believe in Allah, I place my trust in Allah, as Allah wills. There are no means and no power without Allah. Devils are on his way but they move away; the angels strike their faces and say, “You have no way to him. He has spoken

كَانَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع يَقُولُ‌ مَنْ قَالَ هَذَا الْقَوْلَ كَانَ مَعَ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ إِذَا قَامَ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَسْتَفْتِحَ الصَّلَاةَ- اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَتَوَجَّهُ إِلَيْكَ- بِمُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ أُقَدِّمُهُمْ بَيْنَ يَدَيْ صَلَاتِي وَ أَتَقَرَّبُ بِهِمْ إِلَيْكَ‌[3] فَاجْعَلْنِي بِهِمْ‌ وَجِيهاً فِي الدُّنْيا وَ الْآخِرَةِ وَ مِنَ الْمُقَرَّبِينَ‌ مَنَنْتَ عَلَيَّ بِمَعْرِفَتِهِمْ فَاخْ

1. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from Ali ibn al-Nu’Man from certain individuals of his people from abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) who has said the following: “Amir al-Mu’minin, Ali ibn abu Talib (a.s.) has said, ‘Whoever just before beginning the prayer says the following will be with Muhamma