Remove an obstacle

125. Abu Hurayra reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Belief has over sixty branches. The best of them is the words, ‘There is no god but Allah’ and the least of them is to remove an obstacle from the road.” [Agreed upon] Riyad as-Salihin

119. Abu Dharr also reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “The actions of my community, both good and bad, were displayed before me and I found among their good actions removing obstacles from the road and I found among their bad actions spittle in the mosque which is not buried.” [Muslim] Riyad as-Salihin

122. Abu Hurayra said, “The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, ‘Sadaqa is owed by every limb people have. Every day on which the sun rises in which someone establishes justice between two people is sadaqa. To help a man with his animal and help him onto it is sadaqa. Or to lift his goods onto it is sadaqa. A good word is sadaqa. Every step you take to the prayer is sadaqa. Removing an obstacle from the road is sadaqa.” [Agreed upon] Riyad as-Salihin

How to remove an obstacle?

1. Identify obstacle to be removed. The ability to identify obstacles and understand why they are causing problems is only the first step in removing obstacles.

2. DIY (Do it yourself) -- Deal with the obstacle directly without involving other people. This can be as simple as getting up and moving an the obstacle from the road. e.g

    * picking up a brick or stone from the road,
    * picking up litter as you walking pass,
    * Cleaning up the masjid
    * picking up a small branch that is obstructing traffic. (Be careful and assess if it is safe to do it yourself)

3. Delegate -- Identify the obstacle and give precise instructions for its removal to a person who will directly perform the removal. This can sometimes work if removing an obstacle takes a great deal of time, effort or specialized skills that you yourself do not possess. E.g.

    * Calling the water company when there is a burst pipe,
    * Call the fire station if there is a huge tree in the middle of the road.
    * Call the traffic department if there is something on the highway/freeway.


NB:  Always remember when doing a good deed, have the correct intention/niyyah, do it for Allah’s pleasure with sincerity.  May all our good deeds be accepted. In shaa Allah.