Abu Hurayra reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and
grant him peace, forbade gatherings in the road. They said, "Messenger
of Allah, it is hard for us to sit in our houses." He said, "If you must
sit there, then fulfil the rights of the gathering." They asked, 'What
is their right, Messenger of Allah?" He replied, "Guiding anyone who asks
for directions, returning the greeting, lowering the eye, commanding the
correct and forbidding the bad."
Al-Harith ibn 'Amr as-Sahmi related, "I came to the Prophet, may
Allah bless him and grant him peace, when he was at Mina or at 'Arafa.
People crowded around him and some Bedouins arrived. When they saw his
face, they said, 'This is a blessed face.' I said, 'Messenger of Allah,
pray for forgiveness for me.' He said, 'O Allah, forgive us!' I said, 'Ask
forgiveness for me.' He said, 'O Allah, forgive us!' I turned and said,
Ask forgiveness for me.' He said, 'O Allah, forgive us!' He spat on his
hand and wiped it on his sandal. He did not want it to get on anyone around
him."
Abu Sa'id al-Khudri reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless
him and grant him peace, said, "Beware of sitting in the road." They said,
"Messenger of Allah, we must meet where we can sit to talk." The Messenger
of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "If you must do
it, then give the road its due. "What is the due of the road, Messenger
of Allah," they asked. He replied, "Lowering the eye, avoiding doing anything
harmful, commanding the correct and forbidding the bad."
Kathir ibn Murra related, "I entered the mosque on Friday and
found 'Awf ibn Malik al-Ashja'i sitting in a circle of men. He stretched
out his feet in front of him. When he saw me, he pulled his feet back in.
Then he said to me, 'Do you know why I put my foot out? So that a righteous
man might come and sit down.'"
