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Text and translation
English translation
740. Abû Hâzim bin Dînâr narrated that some men came to Saḥl bin Sa'd As-Sâ'idî. They were wondering what kind of wood the Minbar was made of, so they asked him about that. He said: "By Allâh,
I know what it is made of. I saw it the first day it was set up and the first day the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ sat on it. The Messenger of Allāh ﷺ sent word to so-and-so” – a woman whose name Sahl mentioned – “telling her: ‘Tell your carpenter slave to make me something of wood that I can sit on when I speak to the people.’ So she told him, and he made it from tamarisk wood from Al-Ghâbah (a place near Al-Madīnah). Then he brought it and it was sent to the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ, who commanded that it be set up here. Then I saw the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ ascend it and praying on it, and saying the Takbīr while he was on top of it, then he bowed when he was on top of it, then he came down backward and prostrated at the base of the Minbar, then he went back. When he had finished he turned to face the people and said: ‘O people, I only did this so that you can follow me in prayer and learn how I pray.’” (Sāḥih)
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Commentary
1. This was an optional prayer and there is in it ample scope for action, although the Minbar had not been made for offering prayers. But the Prophet ﷺ considered it appropriate to inaugurate it by performing prayer on it to educate people on how to pray.
2. It is said that the name of the bondsman was Maymûn (Fath Al-Bârî: 2/512, commentary Hadîth 917). It is clearly stated in an authentic narration that the making of the Minbar was initiated by this woman herself. The Prophet ﷺ might have conveyed to her his approval or he might have reminded her about it.
