Benefits of the Hadith of the Prophet's (peace and blessings be upon him) Minbar.
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The Shaykh : In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
This hadith contains the prescription of delivering the sermon from the minbar, for two benefits. The first benefit is that it allows the voice to carry further, meaning it helps the voice reach the audience. The second benefit is that when a person sees the speaker, it makes the understanding of what is being said more solid. This is clear. Compare this situation: hearing the sermon from a recording versus hearing it while the preacher is actually delivering it. Which has a greater impact? The second one, without a doubt. In fact, some people are greatly affected during the sermon, then they ask for the recording, and when they listen to the recording, they say, "Glory be to Allah, this is the sermon I heard," because it has no effect on them. For this reason, it is better for a person to stand before the people, because that has a greater impact. It also contains the point that there is no harm in a person asking a question, and it does not fall under the prohibition if he is asking for the public interest. Because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) ordered the Ansari woman to instruct her slave to make wooden sticks for him. For what? For his benefit? For his house? No, for the public interest. This is not considered one of the blameworthy types of questioning. Nor is it considered blameworthy questioning if you see that the person you are asking is pleased by it and feels that you have done him a favor. This happens often. Many people wish that so-and-so would order them to do something. Does this fall under blameworthy questioning? No. Rather, it may fall under praiseworthy questioning to bring joy to your brother.
It also contains, among its benefits, first, before I mention this benefit.
It contains the "Turfah" tree. Do you know it? Like the "Athl" tree? The Turfah is like the Athl. Do you know the Athl?
The students: No.
The Shaykh : No! Yes, you don't know anything. Look a little here, just along this road. When you finish with the palm trees, the Athl trees will come to you. Yes, we all know them.
In any case, the Athl is well known, and the Turfah is similar to it, but the Turfah is stronger than the Athl, except that it does not grow as large as the Athl, meaning it does not grow tall, but its branches are very strong.
It also contains, in this hadith, evidence for the permissibility of calling the sermon "speech" (kalam), based on his saying (peace and blessings be upon him):, and then he explained this speech as the sermon delivered on him on Friday.
It might be said: The Messenger intended that when he spoke to the people in the sermon and otherwise, and that it is a case of predominance (taghlib)? It is said: It is not possible to interpret this as a case of predominance, especially since it was the first time he delivered the sermon on it.
It also contains, among the benefits of this hadith, the permissibility of movement during prayer for the benefit of the worshippers, because the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) used to move. How many times did he move? In every rak'ah, he moved twice. In a four-rak'ah prayer, that is eight movements. He would move, stand on the minbar, bow, then descend and prostrate, then stand on the minbar, then descend and prostrate. Many movements. So this serves as a refutation of the claim that if a person moves three times during prayer, his prayer is invalid, unless they specify that the movements are consecutive. If they specify that they are consecutive, the hadith does not refute them. But the correct view is that the criterion is the custom (urf).
Among the benefits of this hadith is also that it is recommended for a person, when he does something unusual for the people, especially in worship, that he alert them to it so that their hearts are at ease and so that they do not remain in confusion. Let us suppose that the imam performed the prostration of forgetfulness (sujud al-sahw) for a mistake that was subtle to the followers. Here, he should say, "I prostrated because I left out the tasbih, for example," so that they are at ease and so that it is not said, "What happened?" And anything that brings peace to your brothers and removes anxiety and confusion from them is a required matter. So it is recommended for a person to be aware of the feelings of the people.
It also contains evidence that the actions of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), especially in acts of worship, are a model to be followed, based on his saying:. Perhaps there is an indication in the hadith that the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) did not distinguish or differentiate between the takbirs in prayer, because if there had been a distinction, he would have known the manner of the takbir. For this reason, you find that the one who uses the distinction does not cause the people behind him to make a mistake when he says: Allahu Akbar, meaning sitting. And some imams, not many of them, some imams differentiate between every takbir. The takbir of entering prayer has a form, the bowing has a form, the prostration has a form, and the tashahhud has a form, meaning that a person knows exactly what he is supposed to do now, even if he does not see the imam.
It also contains, among its benefits, and this is one of the most important, the eagerness of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) to teach the ummah by word and by action. Teaching by action may have a greater impact than teaching by word. Ya Hamid, is it stronger? Yes. Why? Because teaching by action involves both hearing and seeing, and seeing causes that to be imprinted, what? In the heart. You find a person saying... as if he is witnessing it.
This hadith contains the prescription of delivering the sermon from the minbar, for two benefits. The first benefit is that it allows the voice to carry further, meaning it helps the voice reach the audience. The second benefit is that when a person sees the speaker, it makes the understanding of what is being said more solid. This is clear. Compare this situation: hearing the sermon from a recording versus hearing it while the preacher is actually delivering it. Which has a greater impact? The second one, without a doubt. In fact, some people are greatly affected during the sermon, then they ask for the recording, and when they listen to the recording, they say, "Glory be to Allah, this is the sermon I heard," because it has no effect on them. For this reason, it is better for a person to stand before the people, because that has a greater impact. It also contains the point that there is no harm in a person asking a question, and it does not fall under the prohibition if he is asking for the public interest. Because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) ordered the Ansari woman to instruct her slave to make wooden sticks for him. For what? For his benefit? For his house? No, for the public interest. This is not considered one of the blameworthy types of questioning. Nor is it considered blameworthy questioning if you see that the person you are asking is pleased by it and feels that you have done him a favor. This happens often. Many people wish that so-and-so would order them to do something. Does this fall under blameworthy questioning? No. Rather, it may fall under praiseworthy questioning to bring joy to your brother.
It also contains, among its benefits, first, before I mention this benefit.
It contains the "Turfah" tree. Do you know it? Like the "Athl" tree? The Turfah is like the Athl. Do you know the Athl?
The students: No.
The Shaykh : No! Yes, you don't know anything. Look a little here, just along this road. When you finish with the palm trees, the Athl trees will come to you. Yes, we all know them.
In any case, the Athl is well known, and the Turfah is similar to it, but the Turfah is stronger than the Athl, except that it does not grow as large as the Athl, meaning it does not grow tall, but its branches are very strong.
It also contains, in this hadith, evidence for the permissibility of calling the sermon "speech" (kalam), based on his saying (peace and blessings be upon him):
When you speak to the people
إذا كلمت الناسIt might be said: The Messenger intended that when he spoke to the people in the sermon and otherwise, and that it is a case of predominance (taghlib)? It is said: It is not possible to interpret this as a case of predominance, especially since it was the first time he delivered the sermon on it.
It also contains, among the benefits of this hadith, the permissibility of movement during prayer for the benefit of the worshippers, because the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) used to move. How many times did he move? In every rak'ah, he moved twice. In a four-rak'ah prayer, that is eight movements. He would move, stand on the minbar, bow, then descend and prostrate, then stand on the minbar, then descend and prostrate. Many movements. So this serves as a refutation of the claim that if a person moves three times during prayer, his prayer is invalid, unless they specify that the movements are consecutive. If they specify that they are consecutive, the hadith does not refute them. But the correct view is that the criterion is the custom (urf).
Among the benefits of this hadith is also that it is recommended for a person, when he does something unusual for the people, especially in worship, that he alert them to it so that their hearts are at ease and so that they do not remain in confusion. Let us suppose that the imam performed the prostration of forgetfulness (sujud al-sahw) for a mistake that was subtle to the followers. Here, he should say, "I prostrated because I left out the tasbih, for example," so that they are at ease and so that it is not said, "What happened?" And anything that brings peace to your brothers and removes anxiety and confusion from them is a required matter. So it is recommended for a person to be aware of the feelings of the people.
It also contains evidence that the actions of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), especially in acts of worship, are a model to be followed, based on his saying:
And know that my prayer
ولتعلموا صلاتيIt also contains, among its benefits, and this is one of the most important, the eagerness of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) to teach the ummah by word and by action. Teaching by action may have a greater impact than teaching by word. Ya Hamid, is it stronger? Yes. Why? Because teaching by action involves both hearing and seeing, and seeing causes that to be imprinted, what? In the heart. You find a person saying... as if he is witnessing it.