The prayer was established, so ʿAmmār stepped forward and stood upon a raised platform (dukkan) to lead the people in prayer while they were below him. Then Ḥudhayfah advanced, took him by the hand, and ʿAmmār followed him until Ḥudhayfah brought him down. When ʿAmmār finished his prayer, Ḥudhayfah said to him: “Did you not hear the Messenger of Allah — may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him — say: ‘When a man leads the people in prayer, he should not stand in a place higher than their place,’ or something similar?” ʿAmmār replied: “That is why I followed you when you took me by the hand.”
Narrated by Abū Dāwūd (no. 598), al-Bayhaqī in al-Sunan al-Kubrā (no. 5441), and al-Baghawī in Sharḥ al-Sunnah (no. 830), from the narration of Ḥudhayfah — may Allah be pleased with him.
Authenticated in Ṣaḥīḥ Abī Dāwūd (no. 611) and Irwāʾ al-Ghalīl (no. 544).
Brief Explanation of the Hadith
The evidences of the Sharīʿah indicate the Prophet’s — may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him — keen concern for regulating the manner of prayer and the position of the imām with the congregation. Among such examples is what occurred with ʿAmmār ibn Yāsir — may Allah be pleased with him — when he was in al-Madāʾin: he stepped forward to lead the people in prayer while standing on an elevated place, with the congregation below him. Ḥudhayfah ibn al-Yamān — may Allah be pleased with him — saw this, so he advanced and took ʿAmmār by the hand until he brought him down. Then Ḥudhayfah reminded him of the saying of the Prophet — may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him: “When a man leads the people in prayer, he should not stand in a place higher than their position.” ʿAmmār replied: “That is why I followed you when you took hold of my hand,” meaning that he complied with the prophetic command, as he already knew of it beforehand but had simply forgotten.
And the intent of this prohibition is that the imam should not ascend to a position higher than the congregation, as this resembles the practice of the People of the Book, who would distinguish their religious leaders with an elevated station. It may also instill pride or arrogance in the heart. The scholars, however, have understood this prohibition as one of dislike (makrūh) rather than absolute prohibition, since it is authentically reported in al-Bukhārī and Muslim that the Prophet — may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him — once prayed upon the pulpit in order to teach his Companions the actions of the prayer.
As for the follower (ma’mūm), it is permissible for him to be in a position higher than the imām, such as praying on the roof of the mosque or in an upper floor, and this has been authentically reported from some of the Companions — may Allah be pleased with them.
The ḥadīth also indicates that one or two steps taken in prayer do not invalidate it if they are for the sake of the prayer.
It further shows the obligation of removing a wrong by hand for one who is able to do so, and it demonstrates the eagerness of the Companions — may Allah be pleased with them — to follow and adhere closely to the Sunnah.