The Grand Mosque minbar is the raised pulpit reserved for the khatib, the preacher who ascends it at noon each Friday to deliver the khutbah. It is one of the most recognizable features of the mosque and it differs from most historic pulpits in one important way: it is movable.
That mobility is practical. The minbar sits in its designated place through the week and is moved to the imam’s position on Fridays, where it is fitted with microphones and tested well before the sermon begins.
Why the Grand Mosque minbar carries weight
Many of the sermons and directives delivered by the mosque’s preachers are associated with this pulpit by name. It ranks among the most closely followed Islamic platforms, with a listenership that extends far beyond the mosque itself.
Its influence shows up in print. Sheikh Mohammed Al-Sabil, former General President for the Affairs of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque, wrote a book titled From the Minbar of the Grand Mosque. The General Presidency also issued Flashes from the Minbar of the Two Holy Mosques, translated into many languages after a social media account of the same name was launched.
Sound system of the Grand Mosque minbar
The microphones run through a Phantom and Dynamic system together with a mixing console. The setup connects to approximately 7,700 speakers distributed across the Grand Mosque.
Sensor coverage is layered for redundancy: nine sensors for the imam, six for the muezzin, five primary units and ten spares. Engineers and supervisors oversee the technical procedures required to keep the acoustics running safely during prayer.
Origins of the minbar
The Umayyads were the first to introduce a minbar to the Grand Mosque, in the year 664. Later rulers continued the practice of gifting pulpits, generally of higher quality than the Umayyad original.
That sequence of gifts is part of the mosque’s longer architectural record, alongside the materials and systems that keep the site usable at scale. Leadership of the presidency today is discussed in this profile of Sheikh Abdulrahman Al-Sudais.
Frequently asked questions
What makes this minbar unusual?
It is movable. It rests in a designated place and is relocated to the imam’s position each Friday.
How many speakers is the minbar connected to?
Approximately 7,700 speakers distributed throughout the Grand Mosque.
When was the first minbar introduced?
In 664, by the Umayyads.
Visiting and further reading
Friday attendance at the Grand Mosque is the clearest way to see the minbar in use, and the surrounding operations are worth understanding before you go. See how the Al-Rahma Mosque in Jeddah, along with ziyarat places in Makkah, the Makkah Province guide, Ramadan enrichment programs, the Al-Qiblatayn Mosque, Hajj attendance at the Prophet’s Mosque and the King Salman Gate project.
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