In antiquity and even today, travelling can be dangerous and risky; therefore, it's important to remember Allah in the form of dhikr and pray for your safety while travelling. Dawn is a time of the day that carries significance in Islam. Allah says in the Quran: "Establish prayer at the decline of the sun [from its meridian] until the darkness of the night and [also] the Qur'an of dawn. Indeed, the recitation of dawn is ever witnessed." – 17:78. So, if you're travelling and dawn approaches, along with offering your fajr prayer, you may recite the dua given below for your safety and successful journey.
Travel Duas
Sami'a saami'un bihamdillaahi wa husni balaa'ihi 'alaynaa. Rabbanaa saahibnaa, wa 'afdhil 'alaynaa 'aa'ithan billaahi minan-naar.
He Who listens has heard that we praise Allah for the good things He gives us. Our Lord, be with us and bestow Your favor upon us. I seek the protection of Allah from the Fire.
The prayer can be recited during your travelling journey as soon as you feel the dawn approaching. You can recite it before or after you've offered your fajr prayer as well. As the dua is recited to ask Allah for protection, blessing, and protection from the fire, there are no other specific etiquettes to recite the prayer.
The meaning of the supplication is: ''Our Lord, be with us, bestow your favors upon us, protect us, and guard us. Bless us with your bounties and save us from the fire.'' Muslim 4/2086. In the dua, the meaning of sami'a sДЃmi'un is that a witness has witnessed our praise of Allah, leading to His blessings and bounties upon us. It could also be read as samma'a sДЃmi'un. In this case, it would mean ''the one who has heard this statement will pass it on to another, and he will read/recite it also.'' This is because of the importance of attention given to the dhikr and supplications that are made at dawn. Dawn or early morning is significant as it sets the tone and mood for the rest of your day, which is why starting it off the right way, which is to offer fajr salah and pray for your well-being, is also highly important.