Chapter on the Virtue of Mosques and Prayer Within Them, and the Virtue of Congregational Prayer and Its Rulings

Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Ali ibn al-Hakam from Sufyan ibn al-Simt, who said: Abu Abdillah عليه السلام said: “When you enter from the second gate on the right side of the mosque, count five pillars; two of them are under the shade and three of them are in the courtyard. At the third (pillar) is the prayer place of Ibrahim عليه السلام and it is the fifth from the wall.” He (Sufyan ibn al-Simt) said: “When it was the time of Abu al-Abbas, Abu Abdillah عليه السلام, peace be upon him, entered from the ‘Gate of the Elephant’, then turned to the left as He عليه السلام entered from the gate and prayed at the fourth pillar, which is opposite the fifth. So I asked him: “Is that the pillar of Ibrahim عليه السلام, peace be upon him?” Imam عليه السلام said to me: “Yes.”