Bismillah

“Emaan has sixty odd or seventy odd branches. The uppermost of all these is the Testimony of Faith: `La ilaha illallah’ (there is no true god except Allah) while the least of them is the removal of harmful object from the road. And shyness is a branch of Emaan.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

“…If removing harm from the path is a sign of emaan, then doing this act will increase you emaan. If you find a rock, or a glass or a sharp object in the road, removing it is a sign of emaan. Even if a car blocks the road or constricts it for the people, then they have placed harm in the road and removing it is a sign of emaan. Furthermore, if removing harm from the path is a sign of emaan, then placing harm there is a deficiency in emaan – and we seek Allah’s refuge – so it becomes incumbent on the people to have hayaa in their heart and to be empathetic towards the people.

Today, some people park their cars wherever they want for long periods of time and in the middle of the road, no matter if the area is wide or narrow, but this is not a trait of a Mu’min. A Mu’min is one who has modesty in his heart and is empathetic to the needs of the people; loving for them what he loves for himself. How can you be an example while you park your car in the center of the road and you do not think about the hardship it causes the people? Sometimes they will block the path and will park in front of the masjid’s entrance, constricting the road and bringing about difficultly for the people when they leave Jumu’ah prayer. This is incorrect.

Removing harm from the path is a sadaqah so it is upon the people to be firm on it. If a person is not able to do so – such as if the harm is a boulder or a pile of sand, or something similar, then he must inform those who are responsible in his city, because reporting it becomes a responsibility and it is from helping one another in Birr and Taqwa.”

-Shaykh ibn Uthaymeen rahimahullah, Sharh Riyad Saaliheen.

from: Tayyibaat.com