2/28. Chapter:
Sunan Abi Dawud 490 — Places Where Prayer Is Avoided
The Places In Which Prayer Is Not Allowed
Hadith About Not Praying in Graveyards and Babylon
Sunan Abi Dawud : 490
Sunan Abi DawudHadith Number 490
حَدَّثَنَا سُلَيْمَانُ بْنُ دَاوُدَ، أَخْبَرَنَا ابْنُ وَهْبٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي ابْنُ لَهِيعَةَ، وَيَحْيَى بْنُ أَزْهَرَ، عَنْ عَمَّارِ بْنِ سَعْدٍ الْمُرَادِيِّ، عَنْ أَبِي صَالِحٍ الْغِفَارِيِّ، أَنَّ عَلِيًّا، - رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ - مَرَّ بِبَابِلَ وَهُوَ يَسِيرُ فَجَاءَهُ الْمُؤَذِّنُ يُؤَذِّنُ بِصَلاَةِ الْعَصْرِ فَلَمَّا بَرَزَ مِنْهَا أَمَرَ الْمُؤَذِّنَ فَأَقَامَ الصَّلاَةَ فَلَمَّا فَرَغَ قَالَ إِنَّ حَبِيبِي صلى الله عليه وسلم نَهَانِي أَنْ أُصَلِّيَ فِي الْمَقْبُرَةِ وَنَهَانِي أَنْ أُصَلِّيَ فِي أَرْضِ بَابِلَ فَإِنَّهَا مَلْعُونَةٌ .
AbuSalih al-Ghifari Narrated from:
Ali (once) passed by Babylon during his travels. The mu'adhdhin (the person who calls for prayer) came to him to call for the afternoon prayer. When he passed by that place, he commanded to announce for the prayer. After finishing the prayer he said: My affectionate friend (i.e. the Prophet) prohibited me to say prayer in the graveyard. He also forbade me to offer prayer in Babylon because it is accursed.
Reference : Sunan Abi Dawud 490In-book reference : Book 2, Hadith 100English translation : Book 2, Hadith 490
Summary of Sunan Abi Dawud Hadith 490
This hadith about places where prayer is avoided reports that Ali ibn Abu Talib passed by Babylon during travel. When the mu’adhdhin came to call for the afternoon prayer, Ali waited until he had passed that place. Then he ordered the prayer to be announced. After finishing the prayer, he said that his affectionate friend, meaning the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم, had prohibited him from praying in the graveyard and had also forbidden him to pray in Babylon because it is described as accursed in the narration. The lesson is tied closely to the exact words. The hadith does not give a wide list of all places; it names the graveyard and Babylon. For someone searching for a hadith about prohibited prayer places, this report gives two clear examples mentioned by Ali.
What we learn from this hadith
- Ali avoided praying in Babylon based on what he reported from the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم.
- The graveyard is named as a place where he was prohibited to pray.
- The narration shows care in choosing a prayer place.
- The text gives specific places, so the lesson should stay tied to them.
