The Rights of the Road

The Forgotten Rights of the Road

One day, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ saw some of his Companions sitting in the road. He ﷺ reminded them that although they may have wanted to sit and talk, the road had rights that needed to be respected.

The Prophet ﷺ said:

“Beware of sitting on the roads.”

They said:

“O Messenger of Allah, we have no alternative but to sit there and talk.”

He ﷺ said:

“If you insist on sitting there, then give the road its rights.”

They asked:

“What are the rights of the road?”

He ﷺ said:

“Lowering the gaze, refraining from causing harm, returning greetings, enjoining what is good and forbidding what is evil.”

Sahih al Bukhari, 2465; Sahih Muslim, 2121

This hadith gives us a simple reminder that even something as ordinary as walking or sitting in the street comes with responsibilities.

Lowering the Gaze

One of the rights of the road is to lower the gaze.

Allah says:

“Tell the believing men to lower their gaze and guard their chastity.”

Qur’an 24:30

Today, when people of the opposite gender pass by us, it can be easy to look without thinking. But a Muslim should be conscious of where they look and avoid deliberately staring.

Do Not Cause Harm

The Prophet ﷺ also taught us not to cause harm to others.

Think about something as simple as a rock or an object lying in the middle of a path. We may walk past it without thinking, but someone else could trip over it.

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

“Removing something harmful from the road is charity.”

Sahih al Bukhari, 2827; Sahih Muslim, 1009

This can apply to many things in modern life. Do not block a pavement unnecessarily. Do not leave rubbish where people walk. Do not park in a way that makes it difficult for others to pass.

A Muslim should not only ask, “Am I harming anyone?” We should also ask, “Can I make this easier or safer for the person coming after me?”

Return the Salam

Another right of the road is returning greetings.

Sometimes we pass people we do not know and receive salam. It can be tempting to ignore it because we have never met them before. But Islam teaches us to spread salam among one another.

The Prophet ﷺ said:

“Spread salam among yourselves.”

Sahih Muslim, 54

A simple “Wa alaykum as salam” takes only a moment.

We do not need to know someone's name, background or status before showing them this small act of kindness.

These Manners Are for Every Muslim

These teachings are not only for adults or people who consider themselves particularly religious. They are manners that every Muslim should learn and practise from a young age.

A child can learn to remove something harmful from the path. A teenager can learn to lower their gaze. An adult can learn to be patient with other road users. Anyone can return a salam.

The Prophet ﷺ said:

“The best of you are those who are best in character.”

Sahih al Bukhari, 6035

Good character is not only shown inside the mosque. It is shown in ordinary places, during ordinary moments, when nobody is expecting anything from us.

A Sunnah We Can Practise Every Day

The beauty of these teachings is that they can become part of our everyday lives.

When we leave our homes, walk through the streets, sit in public places or travel by car, we can remember that other people have rights.

We can watch where we look. We can avoid causing inconvenience. We can remove something harmful from someone's path. We can return a salam.

These actions may seem small, but they are exactly the kind of everyday manners that Islam teaches us to care about.

A Better Way to Use the Road

The next time we are walking or sitting in a public place, we can remember the words of the Prophet ﷺ:

“Give the road its rights.”

A Muslim should not become careless simply because something seems ordinary.

Whether it is lowering the gaze, returning a greeting or moving something dangerous from the path, these small actions reflect our character and our obedience to Allah.

The road belongs to everyone, and Islam teaches us to use it with consideration for others.