2/228. Chapter:
Sunan Abi Dawud 1080 — Prophet Teaching Prayer from the Pulpit
On Taking Minbars
Prophet Teaching Prayer from the Pulpit Hadith
Sunan Abi Dawud : 1080
Sunan Abi DawudHadith Number 1080
حَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا يَعْقُوبُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَبْدٍ الْقَارِيُّ الْقُرَشِيُّ، حَدَّثَنِي أَبُو حَازِمِ بْنُ دِينَارٍ، أَنَّ رِجَالاً، أَتَوْا سَهْلَ بْنَ سَعْدٍ السَّاعِدِيَّ وَقَدِ امْتَرَوْا فِي الْمِنْبَرِ مِمَّ عُودُهُ فَسَأَلُوهُ عَنْ ذَلِكَ فَقَالَ وَاللَّهِ إِنِّي لأَعْرِفُ مِمَّا هُوَ وَلَقَدْ رَأَيْتُهُ أَوَّلَ يَوْمٍ وُضِعَ وَأَوَّلَ يَوْمٍ جَلَسَ عَلَيْهِ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَرْسَلَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم إِلَى فُلاَنَةَ امْرَأَةٍ قَدْ سَمَّاهَا سَهْلٌ " أَنْ مُرِي غُلاَمَكِ النَّجَّارَ أَنْ يَعْمَلَ لِي أَعْوَادًا أَجْلِسُ عَلَيْهِنَّ إِذَا كَلَّمْتُ النَّاسَ " . فَأَمَرَتْهُ فَعَمِلَهَا مِنْ طَرْفَاءِ الْغَابَةِ ثُمَّ جَاءَ بِهَا فَأَرْسَلَتْهُ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَأَمَرَ بِهَا فَوُضِعَتْ هَا هُنَا فَرَأَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم صَلَّى عَلَيْهَا وَكَبَّرَ عَلَيْهَا ثُمَّ رَكَعَ وَهُوَ عَلَيْهَا ثُمَّ نَزَلَ الْقَهْقَرَى فَسَجَدَ فِي أَصْلِ الْمِنْبَرِ ثُمَّ عَادَ فَلَمَّا فَرَغَ أَقْبَلَ عَلَى النَّاسِ فَقَالَ " أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنَّمَا صَنَعْتُ هَذَا لِتَأْتَمُّوا بِي وَلِتَعَلَّمُوا صَلاَتِي " .
Abu Hazim b. Dinar Narrated from:
People came to Sahl b. Sa'd al-Sa'idi, when they were doubtful about the kind of wood of the pulpit (in the mosque of the Prophet). They asked him about it. He said: By Allah, I know (the wood) of which it was made; I saw it the first day when it was placed there, and the first day when the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) sat on it.The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) sent for a woman whom Sahl named and asked her: Order your boy, the carpenter, to construct for me a wooden pulpit so that I sit on it when I deliver a speech to the people. So she ordered him and he made a pulpit of a wood called tarfa taken from al-Ghabah (a place at a distance of nine miles from Medina). He brought it to her. She sent it to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). He ordered and that was placed here.I saw the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) praying on it: he said: "Allah is most great"; he then bowed while he was on it; then he returned and prostrated in the root of the pulpit; he then returned (to the pulpit). When he finished (the prayer), he addressed himself to the people and said: O people, I did this so that you may follow me and know my prayer.
[1] They say that Tarfā' refers to the Tamarisk tree which grows in desert areas.[2] A place outside of Al-Madinah, towards the north.Reference : Sunan Abi Dawud 1080In-book reference : Book 2, Hadith 691English translation : Book 2, Hadith 1075
Summary of Sunan Abi Dawud Hadith 1080
This Hadith describes the pulpit of the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) and how he used it to teach people. Sahl ibn Sa'd explained that the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) asked for a wooden pulpit to be made so he could sit on it when speaking to the people. He also saw the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) pray on it: saying “Allah is most great,” bowing while on it, then stepping back down to prostrate at the base of the pulpit. After finishing, the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) turned to the people and said he did this so they could follow him and learn his prayer. The Hadith about teaching prayer shows that the Prophet used visible action to help people learn clearly.
What we learn from this hadith
- The pulpit was made so the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) could address people.
- The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) prayed in a visible way so people could follow him.
- He explained the purpose of the action after finishing the prayer.
- Teaching can be done through clear example, not only words.
