Hadith 1

Sahl ibn Sa‘d al-Sā‘idī (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that some men once disputed about the Prophet’s minbar (pulpit): “From what kind of wood was it made?”

Sahl said, “It was fashioned from ṭarfāʾ of al-Ghābah. I myself saw the Messenger of Allah ﷺ stand on it. He pronounced the opening takbīr, and the people behind him did likewise while he remained upon the minbar. Then he bowed, stepped down backwards until he prostrated at the foot of the minbar, returned to it, and continued in this manner until he completed the last part of his prayer. (1) When he had finished he turned to the congregation and said, ‘O people, I only did this so that you would follow my lead and learn my manner of praying.’”

In another wording: “He prayed upon it, made takbīr upon it, rose from bowing upon it, and then descended backwards (al-qahqarā).”

Unfamiliar expressions

1 – tamāraw: they argued or debated; the root may also carry the sense of doubting (mirya = doubt).

2 – ṭarfāʾ al-Ghābah: ṭarfāʾ is a tree resembling the athl (Tamarix aphylla) but smaller; it grows in saline soil such as that of Madinah. Al-Ghābah here refers to a thicketed area to the west of the city’s highlands.

3 – al-qahqarā: to move backwards without turning one’s face toward the direction of movement; the noun is defective (ends with an alif maqṣūrah).

4 – “li-taʿlamū ṣalātī”: the first lām carries kasrah and the second is doubled; the original form is “tataʿallamū” with two initial tā’s.

Overall meaning

A group of people wondered aloud about the Prophet’s pulpit: what type of wood was it? Because Sahl ibn Sa‘d was the most knowledgeable person of his time—he was the last Companion to pass away in Madinah—they sought his clarification. He informed them that it was made from ṭarfāʾ wood found in al-Ghābah.

To corroborate his statement, he added that he had personally witnessed Allah’s Messenger ﷺ ascend the pulpit to lead the prayer. While still standing on it, he proclaimed Allāhu akbar, and the congregation followed suit. He then bowed, stepped down in reverse until he prostrated at the foot of the pulpit, after which he returned to it. He continued ascending for every standing position and descending for every prostration until the prayer was finished; (2) then he addressed the worshippers, explaining that he had done this only so they might imitate him and learn how to perform the prayer correctly.