The aforesaid tradition has also been transmitted by Malik through a different chain of narrators. He (Abd Al Rahman bin Mahdi) did not mention the words “pillars”. This version adds “He then prayed and there was a distance of three cubits between him and the qiblah. ”
Explanation & Benefits
Shaykh Umar Farooq Saeedi
Benefits and Issues:
It is understood that there should be at least a distance of three handspans between the person praying and the sutrah (barrier).
Source: Sunan Abu Dawood – Commentary by Shaykh Umar Farooq Saeedi, Page: 2024