Ali once passed through Babylon while travelling. The caller to prayer came to him announcing the afternoon prayer, but only after Ali had crossed beyond its boundaries did he order the caller to call the iqamah for the prayer.When he had finished, he said, "My beloved ﷺ forbade me from praying in a graveyard, and he forbade me from praying in the land of Babylon, for it is accursed."
حدثنا سليمان بن داود أخبرنا ابن وهب قال حدثني ابن لهيعة ويحيى بن أزهر عن عمار بن سعد المرادي
أن عليا رضي الله عنه مر ببابل وهو يسير فجاءه المؤذن يؤذن بصلاة العصر فلما برز منها أمر المؤذن فأقام الصلاة فلما فرغ قال إن حبيبي ﷺ نهاني أن أصلي في المقبرة ونهاني أن أصلي في أرض بابل فإنها ملعونة
No references are available.
[Its isnad is daif] Bayhaqi narrated it: 2/451, from the hadith of Abu Dawud with this chain. The narration of Abu Salih Ghifari from Ali is disconnected, as Ibn Yunus Misri said. Refer to Tahdhib* for further verification.