about the ruling on the long minbar in the mosque?

The Shaykh : ... sitting for the Muslim by every means, trying, I mean, by every method to turn him away from the remembrance of Allah and following the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). It starts with the small and ends with the big; what is in it? What is in it? And so on. And just as you are seeing now, perhaps you noticed in the Salah al-Din mosque.

The questioner: Peace be upon you.

The Shaykh : And upon you be peace... The practice of the Muslims remains a proof in many matters. So the mosques in all the past eras had their minbars next to their mihrabs. So this inheritance, as long as we do not have a text that contradicts it, should be acted upon. And this is part of the meaning of His saying (the Exalted): . So if the Muslims’ practice was on something without dispute or disagreement among them, it means this is the path of the believers and it must be followed. But this minbar that is placed now in the middle of the mosque next to the mihrab has many steps; it is high above the level of the people sitting to hear the khutbah. We have texts that this lengthening and increasing of the steps is contrary to the Sunnah. Therefore, we advise returning to the Sunnah in everything. It appears that this advice, from the day our Lord inspired us and inspired others to carry it out, has led to an awakening and alertness among people that, by Allah, it is logical and reasonable speech, that what is the point of this minbar cutting off two rows for them? I was going to tell you: perhaps you noticed in Abu Malik mosque, the people started to be surprised and form three rows approximately behind the minbar. Our Salafi brothers take the fourth row for them, which is the first for us. They give a signal to come and fill the gaps, and no one responds to them except those who have no knowledge. I mean, the truth is that this is a practical effect; if it were in a field and a path regarding the ruling, I mean, the one standing today is that this minbar is removed!

The questioner : By Allah, this is what I proposed that raised the issue in the Fajr prayers at Abu Malik... So I said: By Allah—praise be to Allah—if the brothers are alerted, even those who pray with us.

The Shaykh : This is the least thing.

The questioner : ... the first row... to their right is not in the row.

The Shaykh: Yes.

The questioner : So naturally, many of the sitters were surprised.

The Shaykh: Yes.

The questioner : And then we said: Is it possible that we come and do—for example? It is only the Jumu'ah prayer where the people give the khutbah, and consequently, we reached the result that this talk is not possible, and it would become a fitnah, and the people are a problem.

The Shaykh : And this is the problem!

The questioner : ... that my small son was with me, so Abu 'Abdullah—may Allah reward him with good—wanted him to fill the row. He said to him: No, I do not want, I do not want to pray here!! Abu 'Abdullah did not know that the son behind... and he said, in the meaning of it, that the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) had his minbar as three steps, and it was in the mosque and not in the middle as it is now, and that the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) in his khutbah would face the people like this, he did not turn to the right or the left. And this is a feature of the existence of the minbar in this simplicity in the west of the mosque; that he can see all the people without turning right and left, and in this meaning. And then "Daddy, Daddy," let us try this minbar.

The Shaykh : We remove it, I mean.

The questioner : We remove it... it is not there, and this is how it is, perhaps and hopefully that something is done.