It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that he said: I was holding the she-camel's nose-rein, leading it, until the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) settled upright upon it. Then he (peace and blessings be upon him) made this supplication: 'Allahumma anta al-sahibu fi al-safari, wa al-khalifatu fi al-ahli, Allahumma ishabna bi-suhbatin waqlibna bi-dhimmatin, Allahumma urzuqni qafla al-ardi, wa hawwin 'alayna al-safara, Allahumma inni a'udhu bika min wa'tha'i al-safari wa ka'abati al-munqalab' (O Allah, You are our Companion on the journey and the Guardian of our family; O Allah, accompany us with Your companionship and return us under Your protection; O Allah, grant me the folding up of the distance of the earth and make the journey easy for us; O Allah, I seek refuge in You from the hardships of travel and from the grief of the return). Abu Zur'ah said: Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) was an eloquent Arab; had he wanted to say 'wa'tha'', he could have said it (but he said ''awtha''). He (peace and blessings be upon him) also supplicated: 'Allahumma iqlibna bi-dhimmatin, Allahumma azwi lana al-arda wa sayyirna fiha' (O Allah, return us under Your protection; O Allah, fold up the earth for us and make us travel through it).