In recent years, traveling has developed into more than a mere recreational activity. Travel has become part of a modern lifestyle that represents the search for experience, personal development, and the human desire to understand a broader world.

The development of social media has further reinforced this phenomenon. Various forms of travel content that display beautiful destinations, exclusive experiences, appealing cuisine, and seemingly perfect lifestyles have frequently become symbols of an individual’s success.

In Indonesia, this phenomenon is reflected in the social media trend of “have,” which portrays someone regarded as having “obtained everything” through a range of experiences, including opportunities to visit interesting places and lead a seemingly ideal life.

From an Islamic perspective, travel (safar) carries a meaning broader than mere geographical displacement. Travel can serve as a means of acquiring knowledge, broadening one’s outlook, deepening gratitude, and engaging in reflection upon the greatness of Allah.

Accordingly, the meaning of travel does not lie solely in the destination reached, but also in the intention, awareness, and positive change that emerges following the journey.

The Meaning of Travel Begins with an Intention

In modern life, travel preparation typically focuses on practical matters such as determining a destination, purchasing tickets, arranging accommodation, and planning activities. Islam, however, directs attention to a more fundamental aspect, namely intention (niyyah).

The Prophet Muhammad shallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam said:

“Indeed, actions are but by intentions, and every person will only have what they intended.” (Narrated by Bukhari and Muslim)

This concept indicates that the value of an activity is determined not only by the action performed, but also by the purpose underlying it.

Traveling, an activity that may appear as simple as going on holiday, visiting a new place, or taking time to rest from routine, can carry far greater value when undertaken with a good purpose.

Though it may seem straightforward, a journey can in fact become an opportunity to strengthen family bonds, understand other cultures, seek knowledge, appreciate the beauty of nature, or take time for self-reflection.

This is consistent with Allah’s statement in Surah Al-Ankabut (29), verse 20:

“Travel through the land and observe how He originated creation. Then Allah will bring forth the next creation. Indeed, Allah is over all things competent.”

This verse indicates that travel in Islam possesses a reflective dimension. The world is not merely a place to be visited, but also a space to be studied and contemplated.

Prior research has likewise shown that travel can produce a transformative effect on an individual, including shifts in perspective, greater self-understanding, and personal growth. In other words, beyond generating memories, the experience of travel can also shape how a person perceives themselves and the world.

Bringing Spiritual Values into Travel

One of the defining characteristics of travel is change. When a person travels, they leave a familiar environment and enter a new setting with different cultures, customs, and challenges.

This change of environment can become an experience that enriches one’s outlook. At the same time, travel can also pose a challenge to maintaining one’s personal habits and values.

For a Muslim, travel does not mean abandoning one’s spiritual connection with Allah. On the contrary, travel becomes an opportunity to carry Islamic values into various places and circumstances.

Islam offers ease for a traveler through the concept of rukhsah, or dispensation in worship, such as the permissibility of jama‘ (combining two obligatory prayers into one time) and qasr (shortening a four-unit prayer to two units) under certain conditions. This demonstrates that Islam adopts an approach that accounts for human realities without severing the spiritual connection.

Accordingly, spirituality in travel does not entail restricting worldly experience. A Muslim can still enjoy local culture, meet new communities, and explore various places, while continuing to uphold the values they hold.

From this it becomes clear that a meaningful journey is not one that leads a person away from their principles, but one that helps a person understand how those principles are applied within a broader sphere of life.

Halal Travel as a Form of Conscious Choice

One important aspect of travel is how a person makes choices. Food, accommodation, tourist activities, and interaction with local communities are all part of the experience that shapes a journey.

For the Muslim traveler, the concept of halal becomes one consideration in making such choices. Halal, however, is not concerned solely with whether a product is permissible or not. More broadly, halal also reflects awareness, responsibility, quality, and the values embedded in a given choice.

Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala states:

“O mankind, eat from whatever is on earth that is lawful and good…” (Surah Al-Baqarah: 168)

In recent years, the growth of halal tourism has shown that Muslim travelers increasingly seek travel experiences aligned with their values. According to the Global Muslim Travel Index (GMTI) report, the needs of Muslim travelers today are no longer limited to halal food, but also encompass prayer facilities, safety, comfort, and services that understand their needs.

Halal travel, however, should not be understood merely as the provision of particular facilities. Its essence lies in how a person undertakes a journey with awareness of the values they carry.

Every Journey Has an End

Every journey has a beginning and an end.

At the end of a journey, a person typically brings home a variety of things like photographs, souvenirs, stories, and memories.

Yet a meaningful journey leaves behind something greater than mere objects.

In Islam, worldly travel serves as a reminder that human life itself is a journey toward Allah. The travel supplication taught in Islam carries the message that humankind will ultimately return to their Lord. This indicates that travel can become a time filled with reflection and an opportunity to draw closer to Allah.

This awareness lends a deeper dimension to the activity of traveling. The world was indeed created to be explored, yet the journey also becomes an occasion to look back at oneself.

After visiting a new place, a traveler may well ask themselves:

“Has this journey merely added to the list of places I have visited, or has it also made me a better person?”

This question represents a form of self-reflection arising from the activity of traveling, one that also forms part of the process of self-formation.

Ultimately, the value of a journey cannot be measured solely by what a person carries in their suitcase, but by the change that occurs within them.

Redefining the Meaning of “Having It All”

The modern world often teaches people to measure success through visible experience. The more places visited, the more photographs shared, and the more achievements displayed.

However, Islam offers a deeper perspective on the meaning of success. Having it all does not mean having seen the whole world. Nor is it about how many destinations one has managed to visit. Rather, it concerns how much one has learned, how much gratitude one has cultivated, and how much good one has derived from every journey.

The world teaches people to accumulate travel footprints. Islam teaches people to discover meaning in every journey.

For the best journey is not the one that takes a person farthest, but the one that brings a person to a deeper understanding of themselves, the world they inhabit, and their relationship with Allah.

Perhaps that is the true meaning of “having it all.”

Written by: Naflah Azizah

References

Battour, M., & Ismail, M. N. (2016). Halal tourism: Concepts, practises, challenges and future. Tourism Management Perspectives, 19(Part B), 150–154. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tmp.2015.12.008

Battour, M., Noviyanti, N. A., Ratnasari, R. T., Aboelmaged, M., & Eid, R. (2022). The impact of HDA, experience quality, and satisfaction on behavioral intention: Empirical evidence from West Sumatra Province, Indonesia. Sustainability, 14(8), 4674. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14084674

Detik.com. (2024). Bolehkah traveling dalam Islam? Ini dalil dan doa safar lengkap. https://www.detik.com/hikmah/khazanah/d-8270884/bolehkah-traveling-dalam-islam-ini-dalil-dan-doa-safar-lengkap

Halal MUI. (n.d.). Agar traveling bernilai ibadah, membawa berkah. https://halalmui.org/agar-traveling-bernilai-ibadah-membawa-berkah/

Mastercard & CrescentRating. (2024). Global Muslim Travel Index 2024. https://www.crescentrating.com/reports/global-muslim-travel-index.html