✿ Cleaning Pathways: Faith, Virtue, and the Road to Paradise
Written by: Qari Usama bin Abdus Salam
Islam is a complete and comprehensive religion that not only encompasses prayer, fasting, and other acts of worship, but also integrates ethics, social manners, and cleanliness into its teachings. Islam has taught us not only about physical purification, but also declared environmental cleanliness to be an act of virtue and reward. Particularly, the importance of keeping pathways clean has been greatly emphasized in the Qur'an and Hadith.
❀ The Virtue of Cleaning Pathways – In the Light of Hadith
① Removing Harm from the Path is an Act of Charity
Hadith:
عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ:
"الإِيمَانُ بِضْعٌ وَسَبْعُونَ أَوْ بِضْعٌ وَسِتُّونَ شُعْبَةً، فَأَفْضَلُهَا قَوْلُ: لاَ إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ، وَأَدْنَاهَا إِمَاطَةُ الأَذَى عَنِ الطَّرِيقِ، وَالْحَيَاءُ شُعْبَةٌ مِنَ الإِيمَانِ.”
(Sahih Muslim, Hadith: 35)
Translation:
Faith has over seventy or over sixty branches. The most superior of them is saying "لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا اللّٰهُ", and the least among them is to remove a harmful object from the path. Modesty is also a branch of faith.
② Removing Harm from the Path Can Be a Means to Paradise
Hadith:
عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ:
"بَيْنَمَا رَجُلٌ يَمْشِي بِطَرِيقٍ، وَجَدَ غُصْنَ شَوْكٍ عَلَى الطَّرِيقِ، فَأَخَّرَهُ، فَشَكَرَ اللهُ لَهُ، فَغَفَرَ لَهُ.”
(Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith: 2472 | Sahih Muslim, Hadith: 1914)
Translation:
A man was walking along a path when he saw a thorny branch on the road. He removed it so that it would not harm anyone. Allah appreciated his act and forgave him.
③ Protecting People from Harm Earns Reward
Hadith:
قَالَ ﷺ: "مَنْ أَزَالَ حَجَرًا، أَوْ شَوْكَةً، أَوْ عَظْمًا مِنَ الطَّرِيقِ، كَتَبَ اللهُ لَهُ بِهِ حَسَنَةً، وَمَنْ تُقُبِّلَتْ لَهُ حَسَنَةٌ دَخَلَ الْجَنَّةَ.”
(Al-Muʿjam al-Kabīr liṭ-Ṭabarānī, Hadith: 10574 – Authentic)
Translation:
Whoever removes a stone, thorn, or bone from the road, Allah writes a good deed for him, and whoever's good deed is accepted will enter Paradise.
Summary
◈ Removing harmful objects from the path is a branch of faith.
◈ Such an act can become a means of Allah’s pleasure, forgiveness, and entry into Paradise.
◈ Muslims should not limit themselves to worship only, but also engage in social reform, cleanliness, and welfare activities.
Practical Message
Keeping alleys, surroundings of mosques, parks, and streets clean is not merely a social responsibility, it is also a religious obligation.
The Noble Prophet ﷺ said:
"الطهور شطر الإيمان"
(Sahih Muslim)
Translation: Cleanliness is half of faith.
Even if the government or municipality does not fulfill its duty of cleaning, it is still incumbent upon us as Muslims to fulfill our own obligation. Every individual is responsible for keeping their surroundings, neighborhoods, and pathways clean.
