The ruling on installing mihrabs in mosques

Question:
Honorable Shaykh, he says: The representative of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not have a mihrab, and the second example for this is a hadith. So this is the severity.

Answer:
No, it is not an innovation. Installing mihrabs has been known among Muslims since ancient times. The jurists have mentioned that the qiblah is indicated by the mihrabs, from an early period among the Muslims, and it was known among the Muslims. So the mihrab is made to indicate the qiblah and the position of the imam. It is disliked for the imam to enter it and pray inside it, because the ma'mums do not see him if he prays inside the arch. But the arch is made for the purpose of indicating the qiblah. So if you enter a mosque that does not have a mihrab and you do not know the qiblah, then you are confused at that point; you do not know where to pray, and you are in the mosque and do not know where to pray. If there is a mihrab, you know the qiblah immediately. It is from the practice of the Muslims and does not reach the level of bid'ah (religious innovation). Those who say that it is an innovation are exaggerating in this matter. Yes.