Are the steps of the pulpit acts of worship (meaning their number), and likewise the carrying of a stick by the preacher, and likewise Prophetic medicine?

Abd al-Malik: Since following the actions of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) is absolute, we know that you distinguish between acts of worship and customary matters.

The Shaykh : Ah
Abd al-Malik: And I say this so as not to tire you with repetition.

The Shaykh : May Allah reward you with good.
Abd al-Malik: So what do you say about the steps of the pulpit that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) adopted?

The Shaykh : Yes.
Abd al-Malik: Are they acts of worship, such that one who differs from them is an innovator, or are they customary? And likewise regarding the carrying of a stick by the preacher on the day of Eid, where you have established the soundness of its chain.

The Shaykh : Yes, exactly.
Abd al-Malik: And likewise regarding the issue of the medicine of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), Prophetic medicine: is it customary, or an act of worship, or is it detailed? May Allah reward you.

The Shaykh : Prophetic medicine has two categories. One category, so we do not lengthen the discussion, is where there is an exhortation in the Prophetic hadiths, such as his (peace be upon him) exhortation to use honey and to use black seed and the like. These naturally fall into the category of acts of worship, meaning such a thing cannot be included among customary matters. However, if there is a treatment known before the mission of the Messenger (peace be upon him) in what is called Arab medicine, and it is established that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did it, then it cannot be included among acts of worship except by an explicit verbal text from him (peace be upon him) that classifies it among acts of worship. Is that clear? For example, regarding clothing, a Muslim may wear whatever colors he wishes, but when his saying (peace be upon him) came: this color is included among acts of worship. And on this basis, what concerns medicine, I think the matter is clear, if Allah wills. As for the examples you gave just now, for example the pulpit, and what did you mention, the stick?

Another questioner : The stick on the day of Eid.

The Shaykh : Yes, regarding the stick, there is also nothing that makes it a recommended practice of worship, unless the mentioned hadith is authentic, which is on the tongues of many people: This could be evidence for including the carrying of the stick among acts of worship. But this hadith is among the fabricated hadiths that are not permissible to narrate except by clarifying its fabrication, and I do not say its weakness. As for the steps of the pulpit, there is no doubt that these steps are intended for something reasonable in meaning, which is the prominence of the preacher so that the near and the far can see him. If an increase is desired over them, then we will say that this increase is contrary to the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) in the sense that he was not satisfied with two steps, because these two steps are not sufficient, at least in the view of the Lawgiver, to make the person of the Muslim preacher prominent on Friday. So from this limit set by the Messenger (peace be upon him), we understand a specific limit that does not accept an increase, just as it does not accept a decrease. As for it not accepting an increase, that is very clear, because it is extravagance and a waste of money, time, and effort, and so on. As for restricting it to less than that, that is a slighting of the action of the Messenger (peace be upon him), meaning it implies that we are placing the Messenger in the same position as those who differ from the known Sunnah of the Messenger by adding steps to the three steps. What do we say about these people? That they are extravagant and wasteful, and so on. On the contrary, if we said that the Messenger was satisfied with one step, why did he do two? That is a waste of effort and money, especially in that time when there were no comfortable means that saved effort and fatigue, and so on. So it is not permissible for us to increase or decrease from what concerns the pulpit of the Messenger (may Allah’s prayers and blessings be upon him). And this is not suitable as an example of being a purely recommended practice of worship, nor of being a purely customary recommended practice. Rather, it is considered that the Messenger (peace be upon him) was wise when he set this limit, so it is not permissible for us to increase over it, because the intended purpose is achieved with this amount.