Minbar (Pulpit)
The elevated platform in the mosque from which the imam delivers the Friday khutbah.
Minbar is the elevated platform or staircase-like structure in the mosque from which the imam delivers the Friday khutbah and other sermons. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) had his minbar built by a carpenter in Medina, and it consisted of three steps. He stood on the second step and used the top as a seat.
In a famous hadith in Sahih al-Bukhari, it is narrated that when the Prophet's minbar was built, the date palm trunk he used to lean against during sermons began to moan and weep, until the Prophet came down and comforted it. This event is known as "Hanin al-Jidh'" (the longing of the trunk).
The minbar has an important symbolic and practical function in the mosque. It ensures that the imam can be seen and heard by the entire congregation. Historically, the minbar has also served as a symbol of religious and political authority. The four rightly guided caliphs all used the Prophet's minbar in Medina. Today, minbar designs range from simple structures to elaborate architectural masterpieces in grand mosques around the world.
Related terms
Usul al-Fiqh (Principles of Jurisprudence)
Islamic legal theory that defines the methods for deriving legal rules from the sacred sources.
Qiyas (Analogical Reasoning)
Legal analogy used to derive Islamic rules for new situations based on established rules.
Ziyarat Ashura (Ashura Visitation Prayer)
A powerful visitation prayer to Imam Husayn, recited daily by many Shia Muslims.
Mutahhirat (Purifying Agents)
The agents and methods that purify impure things according to Shia fiqh.
Shafa'ah (Intercession)
The Prophet's and the Imams' intercession with Allah for the believers on the Day of Judgment.
Sahabi (Companion of the Prophet)
A person who met the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) as a believer and died as a Muslim.