Abu Dawud

Hadith Commentary:
Vocabulary of the Hadith:
(1)
يَتَحَرّٰي:
To strive,
to select,
that is, to give preference to that place.
(2)
مَكَانَ المُصْحَف:
That place,
where in the Prophet’s Mosque (Masjid Nabawi), Uthman radi Allahu anhu had a chest placed for the Imam’s codex (mushaf),
where the Pillar of the Emigrants (Usṭuwānat al-Muhājirīn) was.

Benefits and Issues:
In the Prophetic era (dawr al-nubuwwah), there was no mihrab, so the pulpit (minbar) was placed near the wall. The distance between the pulpit and the wall was such that a goat could pass through, and the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam would stand near the pulpit. Therefore, the distance between the place of his prostration (sajdah) and the wall was equivalent to the passage of a goat (mamar al-shaah).