Some people went to Sahl bin Saʿd As-Saʿidi 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 Messenger of Allah ﷺ took his seat on it. Messenger of Allah 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 Messenger of Allah ﷺ who ordered it to be placed here. Then I saw Messenger of Allah 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.' "  

وَاللَّهِ إِنِّي لأَعْرِفُ مِمَّا هُوَ وَلَقَدْ رَأَيْتُهُ أَوَّلَ يَوْمٍ وُضِعَ وَأَوَّلَ يَوْمٍ جَلَسَ عَلَيْهِ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ أَرْسَلَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ إِلَى فُلاَنَةَ امْرَأَةٍ قَدْ سَمَّاهَا سَهْلٌ مُرِي غُلاَمَكِ النَّجَّارَ أَنْ يَعْمَلَ لِي أَعْوَادًا أَجْلِسُ عَلَيْهِنَّ إِذَا كَلَّمْتُ النَّاسَ فَأَمَرَتْهُ فَعَمِلَهَا مِنْ طَرْفَاءِ الْغَابَةِ ثُمَّ جَاءَ بِهَا فَأَرْسَلَتْ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَأَمَرَ بِهَا فَوُضِعَتْ هَا هُنَا ثُمَّ رَأَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ صَلَّى عَلَيْهَا وَكَبَّرَ وَهْوَ عَلَيْهَا ثُمَّ رَكَعَ وَهْوَ عَلَيْهَا ثُمَّ نَزَلَ الْقَهْقَرَى فَسَجَدَ فِي أَصْلِ الْمِنْبَرِ ثُمَّ عَادَ فَلَمَّا فَرَغَ أَقْبَلَ عَلَى النَّاسِ فَقَالَ أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنَّمَا صَنَعْتُ هَذَا لِتَأْتَمُّوا وَلِتَعَلَّمُوا صَلاَتِي  

"By Allah, I know what it is made of. I saw it the first day it was set up and the first day the Messenger of Allah ﷺ sat on it. The Messenger of Allah 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-Ghabah (a place near Al-Madinah). Then he brought it and it was sent to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, who commanded that it be set up here. Then I saw the Messenger of Allah ﷺ ascend it and praying on it, and saying the Takbir 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.'"  

وَاللَّهِ إِنِّي لأَعْرِفُ مِمَّ هُوَ وَلَقَدْ رَأَيْتُهُ أَوَّلَ يَوْمٍ وُضِعَ وَأَوَّلَ يَوْمٍ جَلَسَ عَلَيْهِ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ أَرْسَلَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ إِلَى فُلاَنَةَ امْرَأَةٍ قَدْ سَمَّاهَا سَهْلٌ أَنْ مُرِي غُلاَمَكِ النَّجَّارَ أَنْ يَعْمَلَ لِي أَعْوَادًا أَجْلِسُ عَلَيْهِنَّ إِذَا كَلَّمْتُ النَّاسَ فَأَمَرَتْهُ فَعَمِلَهَا مِنْ طَرْفَاءِ الْغَابَةِ ثُمَّ جَاءَ بِهَا فَأَرْسَلَتْ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَأَمَرَ بِهَا فَوُضِعَتْ هَا هُنَا ثُمَّ رَأَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ رَقِيَ فَصَلَّى عَلَيْهَا وَكَبَّرَ وَهُوَ عَلَيْهَا ثُمَّ رَكَعَ وَهُوَ عَلَيْهَا ثُمَّ نَزَلَ الْقَهْقَرَى فَسَجَدَ فِي أَصْلِ الْمِنْبَرِ ثُمَّ عَادَ فَلَمَّا فَرَغَ أَقْبَلَ عَلَى النَّاسِ فَقَالَ يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنَّمَا صَنَعْتُ هَذَا لِتَأْتَمُّوا بِي وَلِتَعَلَّمُوا صَلاَتِي  

People came to Sahl b. Sa'd al-Sa'idi, when they were doubtful about the kind of wood of the pulpit (in the mosque of the Prophet). They asked him about it. He said: By Allah, I know (the wood) of which it was made; I saw it the first day when it was placed there, and the first day when the Messenger of Allah ﷺ sat on it. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ sent for a woman whom Sahl named and asked her: Order your boy, the carpenter, to construct for me a wooden pulpit so that I sit on it when I deliver a speech to the people. So she ordered him and he made a pulpit of a wood called tarfa taken from al-Ghabah (a place at a distance of nine miles from Medina). He brought it to her. She sent it to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. He ordered and that was placed here. I saw the Messenger of Allah ﷺ praying on it: he said: "Allah is most great"; he then bowed while he was on it; then he returned and prostrated in the root of the pulpit; he then returned (to the pulpit). When he finished (the prayer), he addressed himself to the people and said: O people, I did this so that you may follow me and know my prayer.  

وَاللَّهِ إِنِّي لأَعْرِفُ مِمَّا هُوَ وَلَقَدْ رَأَيْتُهُ أَوَّلَ يَوْمٍ وُضِعَ وَأَوَّلَ يَوْمٍ جَلَسَ عَلَيْهِ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ أَرْسَلَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ إِلَى فُلاَنَةَ امْرَأَةٍ قَدْ سَمَّاهَا سَهْلٌ أَنْ مُرِي غُلاَمَكِ النَّجَّارَ أَنْ يَعْمَلَ لِي أَعْوَادًا أَجْلِسُ عَلَيْهِنَّ إِذَا كَلَّمْتُ النَّاسَ فَأَمَرَتْهُ فَعَمِلَهَا مِنْ طَرْفَاءِ الْغَابَةِ ثُمَّ جَاءَ بِهَا فَأَرْسَلَتْهُ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ ﷺ فَأَمَرَ بِهَا فَوُضِعَتْ هَا هُنَا فَرَأَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ صَلَّى عَلَيْهَا وَكَبَّرَ عَلَيْهَا ثُمَّ رَكَعَ وَهُوَ عَلَيْهَا ثُمَّ نَزَلَ الْقَهْقَرَى فَسَجَدَ فِي أَصْلِ الْمِنْبَرِ ثُمَّ عَادَ فَلَمَّا فَرَغَ أَقْبَلَ عَلَى النَّاسِ فَقَالَ أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنَّمَا صَنَعْتُ هَذَا لِتَأْتَمُّوا بِي وَلِتَعَلَّمُوا صَلاَتِي  

[Machine] I heard Sahl ibn Saad say, "I saw the Messenger of Allah ﷺ standing on his pulpit and praying for the people while he was on the pulpit. Then he made the takbeer while on it, then he performed the rukoo, then he returned to the lowest part of the pulpit and prostrated. Then he returned and did the same until he finished his prayer. then he faced the people and said, 'O people, I did this so that you can follow me and learn my prayer.'"  

سَمِعْتُ سَهْلَ بْنَ سَعْدٍ يَقُولُ رَأَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ قَامَ عَلَى مِنْبَرِهِ فَصَلَّى لِلنَّاسِ وَهُوَ عَلَى الْمِنْبَرِ فَكَبَّرَ وَهُوَ عَلَيْهِ ثُمَّ رَكَعَ ثُمَّ رَجَعَ الْقَهْقَرَى فَسَجَدَ فِي أَسْفَلِ الْمِنْبَرِ ثُمَّ رَجَعَ فَفَعَلَ مِثْلَ ذَلِكَ حَتَّى فَرَغَ مِنْ صَلَاتِهَ ثُمَّ أَقْبَلَ عَلَى النَّاسِ فَقَالَ «أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنَّمَا فَعَلْتُ هَذَا لِتَأْتَمُّوا بِي وَلِتَعْلَمُوا صَلَاتِي»  

People came to Sahl b. Sa'd al-Sa'idi, when they were doubtful about the kind of wood of the pulpit (in the mosque of the Prophet). They asked him about it. He said: By Allah, I know (the wood) of which it was made; I saw it the first day when it was placed there, and the first day when the Messenger of Allah ﷺ sat on it. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ sent for a woman whom Sahl named and asked her: Order your boy, the carpenter, to construct for me a wooden pulpit so that I sit on it when I deliver a speech to the people. So she ordered him and he made a pulpit of a wood called tarfa taken from al-Ghabah (a place at a distance of nine miles from Medina). He brought it to her. She sent it to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. He ordered and that was placed here. I saw the Messenger of Allah ﷺ praying on it: he said: "Allah is most great"; he then bowed while he was on it; then he returned and prostrated in the root of the pulpit; he then returned (to the pulpit). When he finished (the prayer), he addressed himself to the people and said: O people, I did this so that you may follow me and know my prayer. (Using translation from Abū Dāʾūd 1080)  

وَاللهِ إِنِّي أَعْرِفُ مَا هُوَ وَلَقَدْ رَأَيْتُهُ أَوَّلَ يَوْمٍ وُضِعَ وَأَوَّلَ يَوْمٍ جَلَسَ عَلَيْهِ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ «أَرْسَلَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ إِلَى فُلَانَةَ امْرَأَةٍ قَدْ سَمَّاهَا سَهْلٌ أَنْ مُرِي غُلَامَكِ النَّجَّارَ أَنْ يَعْمَلَ لِي أَعْوَادًا أَجْلِسُ عَلَيْهِنَّ فَأُكَلِّمُ النَّاسَ» فَأَمَرَتْهُ فَعَمِلَهُ مِنْ طَرْفَاءِ الْغَابَةِ ثُمَّ جَاءَ بِهِ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ فَأَرْسَلَتْ بِهِ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ وَأَمَرَ بِهِ فَوُضِعَ هَهُنَا ثُمَّ رَأَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ فَكَبَّرَ وَهُوَ عَلَيْهِ ثُمَّ رَكَعَ وَهُوَ عَلَيْهِ ثُمَّ نَزَلَ الْقَهْقَرَى فَسَجَدَ فِي أَصْلِ الْمِنْبَرِ ثُمَّ عَلَا فَلَمَّا فَرَغَ أَقْبَلَ عَلَى النَّاسِ فَقَالَ «يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنَّمَا صَنَعْتُ هَذَا لِتَأْتَمُّوا بِي وَلِتَعْلَمُوا صَلَاتِي»  

People came to Sahl b. Sa'd al-Sa'idi, when they were doubtful about the kind of wood of the pulpit (in the mosque of the Prophet). They asked him about it. He said: By Allah, I know (the wood) of which it was made; I saw it the first day when it was placed there, and the first day when the Messenger of Allah ﷺ sat on it. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ sent for a woman whom Sahl named and asked her: Order your boy, the carpenter, to construct for me a wooden pulpit so that I sit on it when I deliver a speech to the people. So she ordered him and he made a pulpit of a wood called tarfa taken from al-Ghabah (a place at a distance of nine miles from Medina). He brought it to her. She sent it to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. He ordered and that was placed here. I saw the Messenger of Allah ﷺ praying on it: he said: "Allah is most great"; he then bowed while he was on it; then he returned and prostrated in the root of the pulpit; he then returned (to the pulpit). When he finished (the prayer), he addressed himself to the people and said: O people, I did this so that you may follow me and know my prayer. (Using translation from Abū Dāʾūd 1080)  

وَاللهِ إِنِّي لَأَعْرِفُ مِمَّا هُوَ وَلَقَدْ رَأَيْتُهُ أَوَّلَ يَوْمٍ وُضِعَ وَأَوَّلَ يَوْمٍ جَلَسَ عَلَيْهِ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ أَرْسَلَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ إِلَى فُلَانَةٍ امْرَأَةٍ قَدْ سَمَّاهَا سَهْلٌ أَنْ مُرِي غُلَامَكِ النَّجَّارَ يَعْمَلُ لِي أَعْوَادًا أَجْلِسُ عَلَيْهِنَّ إِذَا كَلَّمْتُ النَّاسَ فَأَمَرَتْهُ فَعَمِلَهَا مِنْ طَرْفَاءِ الْغَابَةِ ثُمَّ جَاءَ بِهَا فَأَرْسَلَتْ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ فَأَمَرَ بِهَا فَوُضِعَتْ هَا هُنَا ثُمَّ رَأَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ صَلَّى عَلَيْهَا وَكَبَّرَ وَهُوَ عَلَيْهَا ثُمَّ رَكَعَ وَهُوَ عَلَيْهَا ثُمَّ نَزَلَ الْقَهْقَرَى فَسَجَدَ فِي أَصْلِ الْمِنْبَرِ ثُمَّ عَادَ فَلَمَّا فَرَغَ أَقْبَلَ عَلَى النَّاسِ فَقَالَ «أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنَّمَا صَنَعْتُ هَذَا لِتَأْتَمُّوا بِي وَلِتَعَلَّمُوا صَلَاتِي»