Sahih Bukhari Volume 1, Book 8, Hadith 377

حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو حَازِمٍ، قَالَ سَأَلُوا سَهْلَ بْنَ سَعْدٍ مِنْ أَىِّ شَىْءٍ الْمِنْبَرُ فَقَالَ مَا بَقِيَ بِالنَّاسِ أَعْلَمُ مِنِّي هُوَ مِنْ أَثْلِ الْغَابَةِ، عَمِلَهُ فُلاَنٌ مَوْلَى فُلاَنَةَ لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم، وَقَامَ عَلَيْهِ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم حِينَ عُمِلَ، وَوُضِعَ، فَاسْتَقْبَلَ الْقِبْلَةَ كَبَّرَ وَقَامَ النَّاسُ خَلْفَهُ، فَقَرَأَ وَرَكَعَ وَرَكَعَ النَّاسُ خَلْفَهُ، ثُمَّ رَفَعَ رَأْسَهُ، ثُمَّ رَجَعَ الْقَهْقَرَى، فَسَجَدَ عَلَى الأَرْضِ، ثُمَّ عَادَ إِلَى الْمِنْبَرِ، ثُمَّ قَرَأَ ثُمَّ رَكَعَ، ثُمَّ رَفَعَ رَأْسَهُ، ثُمَّ رَجَعَ الْقَهْقَرَى حَتَّى سَجَدَ بِالأَرْضِ، فَهَذَا شَأْنُهُ‏.‏ قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ قَالَ عَلِيُّ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ سَأَلَنِي أَحْمَدُ بْنُ حَنْبَلٍ ـ رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ ـ عَنْ هَذَا الْحَدِيثِ، قَالَ فَإِنَّمَا أَرَدْتُ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم كَانَ أَعْلَى مِنَ النَّاسِ، فَلاَ بَأْسَ أَنْ يَكُونَ الإِمَامُ أَعْلَى مِنَ النَّاسِ بِهَذَا الْحَدِيثِ‏.‏ قَالَ فَقُلْتُ إِنَّ سُفْيَانَ بْنَ عُيَيْنَةَ كَانَ يُسْأَلُ عَنْ هَذَا كَثِيرًا فَلَمْ تَسْمَعْهُ مِنْهُ قَالَ لاَ‏

Narrated By Abu Hazim : Sahl bin Sa'd was asked about the (Prophet's) pulpit as to what thing it was made of? Sahl replied: "None remains alive amongst the people, who knows about it better than I. It was made of tamarisk (wood) of the forest. So and so, the slave of so and so prepared it for Allah's Apostle. When it was constructed and place (in the Mosque), Allah's Apostle stood on it facing the Qibla and said 'Allahu Akbar', and the people stood behind him (and led the people in prayer). He recited and bowed and the people bowed behind him. Then he raised his head and stepped back, got down and prostrated on the ground and then he again ascended the pulpit, recited, bowed, raised his head and stepped back, got down and prostrate on the ground. So, this is what I know about the pulpit." Ahmad bin Hanbal said, "As the Prophet was at a higher level than the people, there is no harm according to the above-mentioned Hadith if the Imam is at a higher level than his followers during the prayers."