Sunan Abi Dawud
Sunan Abi Dawud 687
Arabic hadith text
حَدَّثَنَا الْحَسَنُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ، حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ نُمَيْرٍ، عَنْ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ، عَنْ نَافِعٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم كَانَ إِذَا خَرَجَ يَوْمَ الْعِيدِ أَمَرَ بِالْحَرْبَةِ فَتُوضَعَ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ فَيُصَلِّي إِلَيْهَا وَالنَّاسُ وَرَاءَهُ وَكَانَ يَفْعَلُ ذَلِكَ فِي السَّفَرِ فَمِنْ ثَمَّ اتَّخَذَهَا الأُمَرَاءُ .
Translation
Ibn ʿUmar reported that when the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) went out for the Eid prayer, he would order a spear to be placed in front of him and pray toward it, with the people behind him. He did this while traveling as well, and this is why rulers adopted the practice.