Road Etiquette

عن أبي سعيد الخدري رضي الله عنه مرفوعًا: "إياكم والجلوسَ على الطُّرُقَاتِ". قالوا: يا رسول الله، ما لنا بُدٌّ من مجالسنا، نتحدث فيها. قال: "فأما إذا أَبَيْتُمْ فأعطوا الطريق حَقَّهُ". قالوا: وما حَقُّهُ؟ قال: "غَضُّ البصر، وكَفُّ الأذى، ورد السلام، والأمر بالمعروف، والنهي عن المنكر".

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) warned his companions of sitting on the roads. They told him that this was indispensable. He said: if you refuse to comply and you must sit there, then you must give the road its due rights. When they asked him about the rights of the road, he instructed them that they should lower their gaze from looking at the women passing by them, refrain from hurting the passersby verbally or by actions, return the greeting to whomever greets them, enjoin what is good, and forbid the evil when they see it.

صحيح البخاري، طبعة مصورة عن النسخة السلطانية، موافقة لترقيم محمد فؤاد عبد الباقي. صحيح مسلم، تحقيق محمد فؤاد عبد الباقي، ط دار إحياء التراث العربي، بيروت. توضيح الأحكام من بلوغ المرام، للشيخ عبد الله بن عبد الرحمن البسام، ط مكتبة الأسد الإسلامية، الطبعة الخامسة. منحة العلام في شرح بلوغ المرام، للشيخ عبد الله بن صالح الفوزان، ط دار ابن الجوزي، الطبعة الأولى. تسهيل الإلمام بفقه الأحاديث من بلوغ المرام، للشيخ صالح الفوزان بن عبد الله الفوزان، اعتنى بها عبد السلام بن عبد الله السليمان، طبعة الرسالة، الطبعة الأولى.

عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رَضيَ اللهُ عنهُ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: «بَيْنَمَا رَجُلٌ يَمْشِي بِطَرِيقٍ وَجَدَ غُصْنَ شَوْكٍ عَلَى الطَّرِيقِ فَأَخَّرَهُ، فَشَكَرَ اللَّهُ لَهُ فَغَفَرَ لَهُ».

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed that while a man was walking, he came across a thorny tree branch on the road that was harming the Muslims. He put it aside and moved it away from the path. So Allah thanked him for that and forgave him.

• The merit of removing harm from the way and that it is a means for Allah's forgiveness.
• Refraining from belittling acts of goodness even if they are simple acts.
• Islam is the religion of cleanness, protecting the environment, and public safety.

صحيح البخاري (1/ 132) (652). صحيح مسلم (3/ 1521) (1914). نزهة المتقين شرح رياض الصالحين، لمجموعة من الباحثين (1/ 156). شرح رياض الصالحين، لابن عثيمين (2/ 175). بهجة الناظرين شرح رياض الصالحين، لسليم الهلالي (1/ 207).

عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «كُلُّ سُلَامَى مِنَ النَّاسِ عَلَيْهِ صَدَقَةٌ، كُلَّ يَوْمٍ تَطْلُعُ فِيهِ الشَّمْسُ تَعْدِلُ بَيْنَ الِاثْنَيْنِ صَدَقَةٌ، وَتُعِينُ الرَّجُلَ فِي دَابَّتِهِ فَتَحْمِلُهُ عَلَيْهَا أَوْ تَرْفَعُ لَهُ عَلَيْهَا مَتَاعَهُ صَدَقَةٌ، وَالكَلِمَةُ الطَّيِّبَةُ صَدَقَةٌ، وَكُلُّ خُطْوَةٍ تَمْشِيهَا إِلَى الصَّلَاةِ صَدَقَةٌ، وَتُمِيطُ الأَذَى عَنِ الطَّرِيقِ صَدَقَةٌ».

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) clarified that every religiously accountable Muslim should give every day a voluntary charity on behalf of every single one of his bone joints as a form of expressing gratitude to Allah Almighty for well-being and for creating his bones with joints that allow him to grasp and stretch. This charity can be fulfilled not through giving money alone but through all types of righteous acts, which include: Acting justly and reconciling between those in disagreement counts as a charity. Helping someone disabled with his mount by helping him ride on it or lifting his luggage on it counts as a charity. The good word, whether it is Dhikr (remembrance of Allah), supplication, greeting of peace, or otherwise counts as a charity. Every step you take to the prayer counts as a charity. Removing what is harmful from the way counts as a charity.

• The structure of the bones of human beings and their soundness are among the greatest blessings of Allah Almighty upon them. Hence, each bone needs charity to be given on its behalf to show due gratitude for such a blessing.
• Encouraging the act of renewing gratitude daily to maintain such blessings.
• Encouraging the constant observance of voluntary acts of worship and charity on a daily basis.
• The merit of reconciling between people.
• Encouraging a Muslim to help his fellow Muslim as this counts as a charity.
• Encouraging the attendance of the congregational prayers and walking thereto and maintaining mosques.
• It is obligatory to respect the Muslims' roads by avoiding what hurts or harms them.

صحيح البخاري (4/ 56) (2989). صحيح مسلم (1/ 498) (720). التحفة الربانية في شرح الأربعين حديثًا النووية، مطبعة دار نشر الثقافة، الإسكندرية، الطبعة: الأولى، 1380 هـ. شرح الأربعين النووية، للشيخ ابن عثيمين، دار الثريا للنشر. فتح القوي المتين في شرح الأربعين وتتمة الخمسين، دار ابن القيم، الدمام المملكة العربية السعودية، الطبعة: الأولى، 1424هـ/2003م. الفوائد المستنبطة من الأربعين النووية، للشيخ عبد الرحمن البراك، دار التوحيد للنشر، الرياض.

عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَمْرٍو رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمَا عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: «المُسْلِمُ مَنْ سَلِمَ المُسْلِمُونَ مِنْ لِسَانِهِ وَيَدِهِ، وَالمُهَاجِرُ مَنْ هَجَرَ مَا نَهَى اللَّهُ عَنْهُ».

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed that a true and perfect Muslim is the one from whose tongue Muslims are safe, so he does not insult, curse, or backbite them and does not hurt them with his tongue in any way. They are also safe from his hand, as he does not assault them or take their properties wrongfully, or the like. As for the emigrant, he is the one who abandons what Allah Almighty has prohibited.

• One's Islam is perfect only when he does not harm others physically or morally.
• The tongue and the hand were mentioned in particular given their frequent mistakes and harms, as they are the source of most of the evil.
• Encouraging the abandonment of sins and adherence to the commands of Allah Almighty.
• The best Muslims are those who fulfill the rights of Allah Almighty and the rights of the Muslims.
• Assault could be verbal or physical.
• The perfect emigration is abandoning what Allah Almighty has forbidden.

صحيح البخاري (1/ 11) (10). صحيح مسلم (1/ 65) (40). نزهة المتقين شرح رياض الصالحين، لمجموعة من الباحثين (1/ 236). شرح رياض الصالحين، لابن عثيمين (2/ 511). بهجة الناظرين شرح رياض الصالحين، لسليم الهلالي (1/ 306).