Muʿāwiya ibn Qurrah reported: I was with Maʿqil al-Muzani when he removed something harmful from the road. I then saw something and rushed to remove it. He said: “What made you do that, my nephew?” I replied: “I saw you do something, so I did it.” He said: “You have done well, my nephew. I heard the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) say: Whoever removes something harmful from the path of the Muslims, a good deed will be recorded for him, and whoever has a good deed accepted for him will enter Paradise.”

Narrated by al-Bukhārī in al-Adab al-Mufrad (no. 593), and al-Ṭabarānī in al-Muʿjam al-Kabīr (no. 502).
Authenticated in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Jāmiʿ (no. 6098) and Silsilat al-Aḥādīth al-Ṣaḥīḥah (no. 2305).

Brief Explanation of the Hadith

A Muslim’s concern for the pathways of Muslims and removing what may harm them is a means to Paradise. In this ḥadīth, the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) shows the great virtue of caring for the welfare of Muslims, and that this is counted among the causes for entering Paradise.
The context of this ḥadīth is that Maʿqil al-Muzanī (may Allah be pleased with him) removed something harmful from the road, whereupon Muʿāwiyah ibn Qurrah (may Allah be pleased with him) hastened to do the same. He then asked him about the reason for his action, and he informed him of what the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said in this ḥadīth: “Whoever removes harm from the pathway of the Muslims…”
Removing harm (imāṭat al-adhā) means clearing anything that can be detrimental to people from their path, such as a stone, a thorn, or a tree trunk. This extends to anything that could harm them or expose them to danger.
This act demonstrates that Islamic law encourages being good to people, even through the simplest of deeds that one might consider trivial, for they are great in the sight of Allah.
And the saying of the Prophet — may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him —: "And whoever has one good deed accepted will enter Paradise," indicates that any sincere good deed, done purely for the sake of Allah Almighty, no matter how small, can be a cause for its doer to enter Paradise. This is because acceptance is a sign of Allah's pleasure and mercy. And there is no doubt that the final destination of one with whom Allah is pleased is Paradise. Thus, the point of consideration is not merely the deed itself, but its acceptance.
It is understood from the ḥadīth — by way of greater reason — that removing intangible harm from the Ummah, such as confronting the people of deviant ideas, warning against their misguidance, and protecting the religion and intellects from them, carries a greater reward and a loftier rank with Allah Almighty than removing physical harm.