Tuesday, June 5, 2012

REMOVING HARMFUL THINGS FROM THE WAY

Removing dirt and filth and other troublesome things like thorns or fruit peels or skins on which someone  may slip from the way is a very good deed. Our Prophet upon whom be eternal blessings has been quoted  by Abu Hurairah as follows:

"Belief has more than seventy divisions of which the highest is the assertion that there is no god but Allah and the lowest is to remove something that causes pain or trouble and filth from the way"

In another hadith related by Abu Hurairah, the Messenger of Allah said

"Removing filth (or pain - giving thing) from the way is a sadaqah (i.e . it earn mere like sadaqah)". (Bukhari  and Muslim)

Ayesha (may Allah be pleased with her) quoted the Holy Prophet - may he be ever in peace - as follows:

"Everyone of the human ,race has three hundred and sixty joints. So anyone who speaks greatness of Allah,  praises Allah and says 'There is no god but Allah' and "Subhan Allah" and seeks forgiveness of Allah and  removes a stone or thorn or a bone from the path of people, orders a good deed or forbids (others) from a  bad one and reaches the three hundred and sixty mark, he shall verily remove himself away from the  chastisement of hell".

According to another hadith, our Holy Prophet said that once a man saw a thorny branch on his path and  removed it in order to save others from pain (due to being pricked by it) and Allah was pleased by his this deed and pardoned him. In another hadith, it is related that our Holy Prophet said, that he saw the man  walking about in the Paradise.

These ahadith show how important it is in Islam to keep the roads and paths clear. Even removal of a thorny  branch, which is a very minor act, has been promised so much reward and merit. When so much emphasis  has been laid on removing things of pain from the path, it can be imagined how great a sin it would be to  make a path dirty and give trouble to passers by. Causing trouble to passers by also includes parking one's  vehicle (car, motor cycle etc.) in such a way or place as to block others' path or to make it difficult for them  and it is a sin. Similarly driving in a way which is in any way troublesome for others is also a sin.

Traffic rules have been formulated and promulgated to organize traffic on the roads; their observance is not  merely legally compulsory but also a religious duty. If one observes these rules and laws in order to promote discipline in the sbciety and public welfare, then these acts shall be rewarded. And if these rules are not  observed then the sin shall be twice as great: for causing trouble to the people and again for disrupting  discipline and breaking- laws.

It is indeed a matter of regret that today such bad acts are no longer considered sinful and even educated  persons commit these sins thoughtlessly. May Allah grant us the right understanding of our religion and the  opportunity to act according to it.

No comments:

Post a Comment