By Imam Murtadha Gusau
Monday, September 21, 2026
In the name of Allah, Most Merciful, the Bestower of Mercy.
All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the worlds, and may blessings and peace be upon the one whom Allah sent as a mercy to all creation, and upon his family, companions, and brothers until the Day of Judgment. To proceed:
Dear brothers and sisters! A Minbar is the pulpit of a Mosque — a raised platform reached by a flight of steps, from which the Imam delivers the sermon, the Khutbah, at the main Friday congregational prayer. It stands to the right of the Mihrab on the Qiblah wall, so the speaker faces the congregation while remaining oriented within the holiest part of the building. The form is simple and ancient: a staircase rising to a small landing or seat, often with a doorway at the base and sometimes a canopy above. The preacher climbs partway up — traditionally not to the very top step, which is left out of humility — and speaks from there so the whole assembly can see and hear.
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The primary purpose of a Minbar (pulpit) is to provide an elevated platform for the preacher (Khatib) to deliver the sermon (Khutbah) during Friday prayers and special occasions like Eid, etc. Because raising the speaker on a set of steps ensures they can be seen and heard clearly by a large congregation.
It also serves as the focal point for imparting religious teachings, moral reminders, and advice on community, political, leadership or social issues.
Minbar (pulpit), originating from a simple two- or three-step platform used by the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him), historically symbolised leadership, governance, and community administration within the Ummah.
Respected brothers and sisters! The power of the Minbar (pulpit) in Muslim societies such as ours is considerable. For whatever flows from this source is heard with rapt attention and largely accepted as true by Muslim believers. Hence the responsibility of the one who occupies the pulpit (Imam) is immense.
While local society may be composed of people with varying degrees of involvement in religious activities, it can safely be assumed that a large number of Muslims in Nigeria attend the Mosque at least once a week, to offer Friday prayers. And with the sermon being an integral component of Friday prayers, the Imam, who leads Friday prayers or Khatib, who may also deliver sermons on other occasions, has a large, captive audience.
Considering this, the Friday sermon can be instrumental in changing society and inculcating ethical values amongst the Muslim believers. Even if worshippers act upon a percentage of what they hear in the sermon, visible changes can occur in the society. But for that to happen Islamic preachers must plan their sermons in such a way that the Khutbah identifies society’s many ills and, more importantly, proposes ways inspired by Islamic tradition to find a way out of the moral darkness that has enveloped us.
What is usually addressed in the Friday sermon? In most Mosques the Imam dilates on certain Qur’anic verses while punctuating the sermon with Prophetic Hadith, often citing examples from the early Islamic era. Yet while citing from these sacred sources is perfectly fine, perhaps not many Islamic preachers make an attempt to link tradition with solutions to address modern man’s problems.
Perhaps we forget that the Noble Qur’an was not revealed for a certain time or for a certain people, but to address mankind’s spiritual, political, social, economic and existential issues across the limited boundaries of time and space. It is this disconnect between Islam’s eternal message and the content of most Friday sermons that the learned men of religion need to address.
The Friday sermon can be an essential tool for the character building of society. It is important to address theological and philosophical issues, but Islamic preachers should not forget the people’s problems while addressing Muslim believers. Society is brimming with issues that need attention. Seemingly small problems, if regularly highlighted, can lead to big changes.
For example, despite Islam’s focus on personal hygiene and an environment free of all sorts of pollution, our streets and neighbourhoods overflow with filth and garbage. If Khatibs (Islamic preashers) constantly exhort their flocks to make an effort to keep their homes and neighbourhoods clean, people may go the extra mile to do so considering it a religious duty.
Similarly, despite Islam’s insistence on education for all — men and women, rich and poor — we as a society do not value knowledge and revel in ignorance. If our Islamic scholars use Friday sermons to send clear messages to the faithful that educating themselves and their children is a religious requirement, perhaps it may change attitudes. To paraphrase a renowned Prophetic Hadith, knowledge has been equated with life and ignorance with death.
There are countless other questions that can be addressed through the Minbar (pulpit) within the Islamic framework which can be instrumental in changing society. These include respect for women, problems of the youth, treating others with empathy and respect, eliminating ethnic discord, eliminating insecurity, how to raise responsible children, how to elect a good leader etc. Islam provides a wide array of tools for character building. It is up to the men of religion and society as a whole to properly employ different tools in different situations.
Perhaps the root of the problem is selecting the right candidate for the right job. Unfortunately, while there are notable exceptions, many of those who occupy the Minbar (pulpit) across Nigeria may not be qualified to bear the heavy responsibility the Minbar (pulpit) demands. After all, preaching has become a profession and unfortunately in many instances Islamic preachers lack the broader vision the Qur’an and the Prophet’s (Peace be upon him) Sunnah seek to give man.
What, then, are the qualities one who occupies the Minbar (Pulpit) should possess? The base should be impeccable character fused with a firm knowledge of sound aqidah, tauhid, manhaj and the religious sciences. But it does not stop there. A truly progressive and socially conscious Khatib should be a capable public speaker, able to use the nuances and subtleties of language to effectively communicate the message.
A thorough knowledge of history should be an added bonus, for Muslim believers do not live in a bubble and should be aware of the changes the world has gone through both before and since the final revelation. Also, the Khatib must have a working knowledge of sociology in order to addresses society’s myriad problems.
But perhaps the most important prerequisite for a Khatib must be wisdom (Hikmah), as explained in verse 125 of Surah al-Nahl. Sincerely speaking, wisdom cannot be learnt in a university or a college, in a madrassah or jami’a. Academic training is important, but perhaps wisdom is received after studying the book of life, ultimately depending on the Almighty and following the Prophet’s Sunnah.
It may be a tall order but if our society is to be reformed, responsible and socially aware Khatibs must occupy our Minbars (pulpits), from plush air-conditioned Mosques to more modest set-ups in villages. Mosque boards and trusts must primarily take up this responsibility.
Imams preaching must focus on societal reform, unity, peace and harmony. Those who preach hate and fan the flames of difference must not be let anywhere close to the Minbar (pulpit). Only by placing capable individuals on the Minbar (pulpit) can we hope to change society for the better and stem the further spread of the poison of sectarian and communal hatred.
In summary, the primary purpose of the Minbar (pulpit) in Islam is to provide an elevated platform from which the Imam, Khatib, preacher delivers the Khutbah (sermon) during Friday prayers and special occasions like Eid.
The raised steps allow the speaker to be better seen and heard by large congregations before modern sound systems existed. It serves as the focal point for imparting moral lessons, religious reminders, and community advice. Historically, it represents the seat of leadership and guidance established by the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him).
Our beloved Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) originally delivered sermons while leaning against a palm tree trunk in Masjid an-Nabawi. Around 7–8 AH (628–629 CE), a small wooden Minbar (pulpit) with steps was built for him so the growing congregation could see him clearly. In early Islam, the Minbar (pulpit) was also a place for making any kind of important public announcements, taking oaths of allegiance to caliphs, and addressing all the Ummah affairs.
A common misunderstanding is that the Minbar (pulpit) in a Mosque is simply a decorative stage or a symbol of political authority. While it does hold a prominent visual place in Islamic architecture, its primary purposes are deeply rooted in practical acoustics, community leadership, and Prophetic tradition.
It is a functional platform meant to elevate the speaker so that large crowds can see and hear them clearly, especially before modern microphones existed.
It is a piece of furniture modeled after the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him), who used a simple three-step wooden platform to address his companions.
It is primarily reserved for the Friday sermon (Khutbah) and special holiday prayers (Eid), not for the standard five daily prayers.
The stepped design raises the Imam above the congregation. This allows their voice to travel further in large prayer halls and ensures everyone can see their gestures.
Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) initially leaned against a palm tree trunk while speaking. As the Ummah grew, a three-step wooden Minbar was built so he could sit and stand above the crowd.
The Minbar is the designated space for delivering the sermon (Khutbah). This sermon is meant to provide moral, spiritual, and practical guidance to the Ummah regarding current events and daily life.
All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds. May the peace, blessings and salutations of Allah be upon our noble Messenger, Muhammad, and upon his family, his Companions and his true followers.
Murtadha Muhammad Gusau is the Chief Imam of Nagazi-Uvete Jumu’ah and the late Alhaji Abdur-Rahman Okene’s Mosques, Okene, Kogi State, Nigeria. He can be reached via: gusauimam@gmail.com or +2348038289761 or +2348024192217.