Amma ba'd
Removing Harmful Matter from path is from Branches of Eeman; placing Harmful Matter in path is from Branches of Kufr
Narrated by Abu Hurairah (radiallaahu 'anhu): The Messenger of Allaah (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) said, "Eeman has sixty or seventy-odd branches. The least of them is to remove something harmful from the road, and the most lofty of them is the saying: 'La illaha il Allaah' (none has the right to be worshipped except Allaah). And modesty is a branch of Eeman." [Agreed Upon]
Shaykh Saalih al-Fawzaan (hafidhahullaah) said in his explanation of al Usool uth-Thalaathah :
quote:
"Placing that which is harmful upon the path is forbidden because the path is for those who wish to walk upon it, and harmful matters impede those who want to proceed or put them in danger. Such as stopping his car upon the road; this is from harm. And letting water flow out from the house onto the path; this is from harm. And putting rubbish on the path; this is from harm. The adhaa (harmful matter) is anything which causes harm to the people, whether it be thorns or rocks or filthy things or refuse. So placing a harmful matter on the path is from the branches of Kufr, and removing the harmful matter from the path is from the branches of Eemaan."
A student of knowledge told us during a Jumu'ah khutbah that Shaikh al-Fawzaan said,
quote:
"The lowest level of eeman is removing something harmful from the road, and today you have deviants putting bombs in the roads."
Wallaahu musta'aan!
quote:
Regarding the wife of Abu Lahab, Al-'Awfi narrated from Ibn 'Abbas, 'Atiyah Al-Jadali, Ad-Dahhak and Ibn Zayd that she [the wife of Abu Lahab] used to place thorns in the path of the Messenger of Allaah (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam).
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Relevant ahadith from the Sahihain that further show the great virtue of removing something harmful from the path
Narrated by Abu Hurairah (radiallaahu 'anhu): Allaah's Messenger (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) said, "While a man was going on a way, he saw a thorny branch and removed it from the way and Allaah became pleased by his action and forgave him for that." Then, the Prophet (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) said, "Five are martyrs: One who dies of plague, one who dies of an abdominal disease, one who dies of drowning, one who is buried alive (and) dies, and one who is killed in Allaah's cause." [Sahih Bukhari; In the Book of the Adhaan]
The Prophet (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) further said, "If the people knew the reward for pronouncing the Adhaan and for standing in the first row (in the congregational prayer), and found no other way to get it except by drawing lots, they would do so. And if they knew the reward of offering the Dhuhr prayer early (in its stated time), they would race for it and if they knew the reward for 'Isha' and Fajr prayers in congregation, they would attend them even if they were to crawl." [Sahih Bukhari; In the Book of the Adhaan]
Narrated by 'Abdullaah ibn 'Amr (radiallaahu 'anhu): That Allaah's Messenger (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) said, "There are forty virtuous deeds and the best of them is the Maniha of a she-goat, and anyone who does one of these virtuous deeds hoping for Allaah's reward with firm confidence that he will get it, then Allaah will make him enter Paradise." Hassan (a sub-narrator) said, "We tried to count those good deeds below the Maniha; we mentioned replying to the sneezer, removing harmful things from the road, etc., but we failed to count even fifteen." [Sahih Bukhari; In the Book of Gifts]
Narrated by Abu Hurairah: Allaah's Messenger (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) said, "There is a (compulsory) Sadaqah (charity) to be given for every joint of the human body (as a sign of gratitude to Allaah) everyday the sun rises. To judge justly between two persons is regarded as Sadaqah, and to help a man concerning his riding animal by helping him to ride it, or by lifting his luggage on to it, is also regarded as Sadaqah, and (saying) a good word is also Sadaqah, and every step taken on one's way to offer the compulsory prayer (in the mosque) is also Sadaqah, and to remove a harmful thing from the way is also Sadaqah." [Sahih Bukhari; In the Book of Jihaad]
Abu Hurairah (radiallaahu 'anhu) reported Allaah's Messenger (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) as saying, "While a person was going along the path, he found a thorny branch upon it. He pushed it to a side and Allaah approved (this action) of his and (as a mark of appreciation) granted him pardon." [Sahih Muslim; In The Book of Righteousness, Manners and Joining the Ties of Kinship; Chapter: The Merit of Removing of anything Troublesome From The Path]
Abu Hurairah (radiallaahu 'anhu) reported Allaah's Messenger (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) as saying, "A person, while walking along the path, saw the branches of a tree lying there. He said: 'By Allaah, I shall remove these from this so that these may not do harm to the Muslims,' and he was admitted to Paradise." [Sahih Muslim]
Abu Hurairah (radiallaahu 'anhu) reported Allaah's Messenger (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) as saying that he saw a person enjoying himself in Paradise because of the tree that he cut from the path which was a source of inconvenience to the people. [Sahih Muslim]
Abu Hurairah (radiallaahu 'anhu) reported Allaah's Messenger (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) as saying that there was a tree which caused inconvenience to the Muslims; a person came there and cut that (tree) (and thus entered) Paradise. [Sahih Muslim]
Abu Barza reported: I said: Allaah's Messenger, teach me something so that I may derive benefit from it. He said, "Remove the troublesome thing from the paths of the Muslims." [Sahih Muslim]
Subhanak Allaahuma wa bihamdika ash-hadu anlaa illaaha illa anta astaghfiruka wa atubu ilayk
If I said anything correct, then it is from Allaah (subhanahu wa taa'ala), and if I erred, then that is from me and shaytan.