“I witnessed Ali 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]. So then, once he had ascended upon its back, he said: ‘All praise is due to Allah.’ (Al-ḥamdulillāh) then he said: 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 said: ‘All praise is due to Allah (Al-ḥamdulillāh)’ – three times – and ‘Allah is the Greatest (Allāhu Akbar)’ – three times – ‘Glory is to You, indeed I have wronged myself, so forgive me, for indeed none forgives sins except You (Subḥānaka innī qad ẓalamtu nafsī faghfirlī fa-innahū lā yaghfirudh-dhunūba illā ant).’ Then he laughed. So I said: ‘O Commander of the Believer! What caused you to laugh?’ He said: ‘I saw the Messenger of Allah do as I did, then he ﷺ laughed, so I said, ‘What cause you to laugh?’ 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.”  

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 ﷺ 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 ؓ قَالَ هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ  

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-ʿamali mā tarḍā. Allāhumma hawwin ʿalainal-masīra, waṭwi ʿannā buʿdal-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 ʿābidūna lirabbinā hāmidūn).”  

أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ كَانَ إِذَا سَافَرَ فَرَكِبَ رَاحِلَتَهُ كَبَّرَ ثَلاَثًا وَيَقُولُ ( سبْحَانَ الَّذِي سَخَّرَ لَنَا هَذَا وَمَا كُنَّا لَهُ مُقْرِنِينَ * وَإِنَّا إِلَى رَبِّنَا لَمُنْقَلِبُونَ ) ثُمَّ يَقُولُ اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ فِي سَفَرِي هَذَا مِنَ الْبِرِّ وَالتَّقْوَى وَمِنَ الْعَمَلِ مَا تَرْضَى اللَّهُمَّ هَوِّنْ عَلَيْنَا الْمَسِيرَ وَاطْوِ عَنَّا بُعْدَ الأَرْضِ اللَّهُمَّ أَنْتَ الصَّاحِبُ فِي السَّفَرِ وَالْخَلِيفَةُ فِي الأَهْلِ اللَّهُمَّ اصْحَبْنَا فِي سَفَرِنَا وَاخْلُفْنَا فِي أَهْلِنَا وَكَانَ يَقُولُ إِذَا رَجَعَ إِلَى أَهْلِهِ آيِبُونُ إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ تَائِبُونَ عَابِدُونَ لِرَبِّنَا حَامِدُونَ