The pulpit (minbar): rulings on its making, use and place

The minbar is the step a preacher climbs. The Prophet had one made in the seventh or eighth year after the migration, as the report of Sahl ibn Sa'd about the woman of the Ansar and her carpenter tells. ¹

Having a minbar is a sunna, the sermon is given from it, and it should stand to the right of the prayer niche as seen by the worshippers; the Shafi'is dislike one so large that it crowds the congregation. ²

The Shafi'is and Hanbalis recommend the preacher to greet the people on climbing; the Hanafis say it is not a sunna; the Malikis say it is disliked after climbing. ^{2 3}

The Shafi'is allow the imam to step down before he speaks and then return; if he speaks first and then steps down, he must begin the sermon again. ³

Some jurists say a visitor to the Prophet's grave should pray two rak'as near his minbar and supplicate there, citing the saying: 'what lies between my house and my minbar is a garden of Paradise'. ^{3 4}

The Malikis hold that an oath is to be strengthened at the minbar, the Shafi'is recommend it, the Hanbalis allow it if the judge sees fit; the Hanafis do not strengthen oaths by place. ⁵