Category: Q n A

Some people went to Sahl bin Sa`d As-Sa`idi and told him that they had different opinions regarding
the wood of the pulpit. They asked him about it and he said, “By Allah, I know of what wood the
pulpit was made, and no doubt I saw it on the very first day when Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) took his seat on it.
Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) sent for such and such an Ansari woman (and Sahl mentioned her name) and said to
her, ‘Order your slave-carpenter to prepare for me some pieces of wood (i.e. pulpit) on which I may sit
at the time of addressing the people.’ So she ordered her slave-carpenter and he made it from the
tamarisk of the forest and brought it (to the woman). The woman sent that (pulpit) to Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ)
who ordered it to be placed here. Then I saw Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) praying on it and then bowed on it. Then
he stepped back, got down and prostrated on the ground near the foot of the pulpit and again ascended
the pulpit. After finishing the prayer he faced the people and said, ‘I have done this so that you may
follow me and learn the way I pray.’ ”

Once in the lifetime of the Prophet (p.b.u.h) the people were afflicted with drought (famine). While
the Prophet (ﷺ) was delivering the Khutba on a Friday, a Bedouin stood up and said, “O, Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ)!
Our possessions are being destroyed and the children are hungry; Please invoke Allah (for rain)”. So
the Prophet (ﷺ) raised his hands. At that time there was not a trace of cloud in the sky. By Him in Whose
Hands my soul is as soon as he lowered his hands, clouds gathered like mountains, and before he got
down from the pulpit, I saw the rain falling on the beard of the Prophet. It rained that day, the next
day, the third day, the fourth day till the next Friday. The same Bedouin or another man stood up and
said, “O Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ)! The houses have collapsed, our possessions and livestock have been
drowned; Please invoke Allah (to protect us)”. So the Prophet (ﷺ) raised both his hands and said, “O
Allah! Round about us and not on us”. So, in whatever direction he pointed with his hands, the clouds
dispersed and cleared away, and Medina’s (sky) became clear as a hole in between the clouds. The
valley of Qanat remained flooded, for one month, none came from outside but talked about the
abundant rain.

The Prophet (ﷺ) used to stand by a stem of a date-palm tree (while delivering a sermon). When the pulpit
was placed for him we heard that stem crying like a pregnant she-camel till the Prophet (ﷺ) got down from
the pulpit and placed his hand over it.

Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) (p.b.u.h) said, “When the Imam is delivering the Khutba, and you ask your companion
to keep quiet and listen, then no doubt you have done an evil act.”

My father said , “I heard the Prophet (ﷺ) delivering the Khutba on the pulpit and he said, ‘Whoever comes
for the Jumua prayer should take a bath (before coming).’ ”

Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) (p.b.u.h) talked about Friday and said, “There is an hour (opportune time) on Friday
and if a Muslim gets it while praying and asks something from Allah, then Allah will definitely meet
his demand.” And he (the Prophet) pointed out the shortness of that time with his hands.

The Prophet (p.b.u.h) used to deliver the Khutba while standing and then he would sit, then stand
again as you do now-a-days.

One day the Prophet (ﷺ) sat on the pulpit and we sat around him.

Asma’ bint Abi Bakr As-Siddiq said, “I went to ‘Aishah and the people were offering Salat. I asked her, ‘What is wrong with the people ?’ She pointed towards the sky with her head. I asked her, ‘Is there a sign ?’ ‘Aishah nodded with her head meaning ‘Yes’.” Asma’ added, “Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) prolonged the Salat to such an extent that I fainted. There was a waterskin by my side and I opened it and poured some water on my head. When Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) finished Salat, and the solar eclipse had cleared, the Prophet (ﷺ) addressed the people and praised Allah as He deserves and said, ‘Amma ba’du’.” Asma’ further said, “Some Ansari women started talking, so I turned to them in order to make them quiet. I asked ‘Aishah what the Prophet (ﷺ) had said. ‘Aishah said: ‘He said, ‘I have seen things at this place of mine which were never shown to me before; (I have seen) even Paradise and Hell. And, no doubt it has been revealed to me that you (people) will be put in trial in your graves like or nearly like the trial of Masih Ad-Dajjal. (The angels) will come to everyone of you and ask him, ‘What do you know about this man (Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ)) ?” The faithful believer or firm believer (Hisham was in doubt which word the Prophet (ﷺ) used), will say, ‘He is Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) and he is Muhammad (ﷺ) who came to us with clear evidences and guidance. So we believed him, accepted his teachings and followed and trusted his teaching.’ Then the angels will tell him to sleep (in peace) as they have come to know that he was a believer. But the hypocrite or a doubtful person (Hisham is not sure as to which word the Prophet (ﷺ) used), will be asked what he knew about this man (Prophet Muhammed (ﷺ)). He will say, ‘I do not know but I heard the people saying something (about him) so I said the same’ ” Hisham added, “Fatima told me that she remembered that narration completely by heart except that she said about the hypocrite or a doubtful person that he will be punished severely.”

Some property or something was brought to Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) and he distributed it. He gave to some
men and ignored the others. Later he got the news of his being admonished by those whom he had
ignored. So he glorified and praised Allah and said, “Amma ba’du. By Allah, I may give to a man and
ignore another, although the one whom I ignore is more beloved to me than the one whom I give. But
I give to some people as I feel that they have no patience and no contentment in their hearts and I
leave those who are patient and self-content with the goodness and wealth which Allah has put into
their hearts and `Amr bin Taghlib is one of them.” `Amr added, By Allah! Those words of Allah’s
Apostle are more beloved to me than the best red camels.