Branching out

Yusra and her brother Salman were staying with their grandparents for the weekend. Grandma was packing up their picnic lunch. She‘d made beautiful cookies that morning with the children, and everyone was looking forward to going to the park.

The kids helped their grandparents load the car, and off they drove. They were driving along, when Grandpa suddenly stopped the car. He stepped out, and picked up some sticks from the road and put them to the side. He got back into the car.

The kids looked at him curiously. Then they looked at each other and shrugged. ‘Erm everything, okay Grandpa?’, asked Salman puzzled.

‘Of course, buddy boy. Let’s get going to the park before it gets too late!’, replied Grandpa.

They started to drive. They rode for ten minutes when Grandpa stopped again at the side of the road. He got out a second time, and bent down to pick some sticks. He placed them to the side, just like he’d done earlier. Then he got into the car and began driving again.

Yusra and Salman were very confused now. Was Grandpa collecting sticks for a project? At this rate they’d never make it to the park in time for the hike and lunch!

Yusra put her finger on her lip, gesturing to her brother to be quite. She cleared her throat and began talking. ‘Grandpa, why are you interested in sticks?’, she asked.

Grandpa looked at her through the rear view mirror and chuckled.‘ They bring me a lot of benefit, Yusi.’, he answered. ‘What do you mean, Grandpa? You’re not even bringing them back into the car. And what benefit can some branches bring to you?’, she questioned.

‘I like to remove things from the road, Yusi. It might be dangerous for bikers or animals. So carrying them out of the way makes the path safer for others’, Grandpa explained.

‘Hmmm’, thought Salman, ‘But you said it brings you benefit. What did you mean by that, Grandpa?’, he wondered.

Grandpa grinned. ‘So you do pay attention! There’s a hadith* about removing things from people’s way, buddy. I like to do what the Prophet (SA) taught us to do, even if it’s removing something small from the road. And I hope, with this small gesture, Allah will be pleased with me.’

Salman and Yusra both nodded understanding. ‘Is that why you’re late sometimes Grandpa? I get it now. Maybe when you stop next time, we can pick stuff up with you!’, suggested Yusra.

Grandma shook her head. ‘Not on the road, honey. But when we go on our hike, you two can definitely be on the look out for branches or stones to put away. What do you say?’, she said.

The children agreed. They got to the park and started walking. The hike, which would normally have taken 30 minutes, took longer because everyone was on clear-up patrol.

Afterwards, they sat down to eat their lunch and beautiful cookies. The kids rushed to clean up, urging their grandparents to sit back and relax. The adults sat back watching their grandchildren as they ran around playing. And they smiled when the kids stopped to pick up a branch and keep it to the side. The hadith was benefiting them already.

*Abu Barza reported: I said, “O Prophet of Allah, teach me something that will benefit me.” The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Remove harmful things from the roads.”

Source: Sahih Muslim 2618