Nafi’ said on the authority of Ibn ‘Umar that the Prophet used to make his riding-beast kneel between him and the qibla and pray facing it.
(Bukhari and Muslim.) Bukhari added that Nafi' asked Ibn ‘Umar, saying, “Tell me what happened when the camels moved away,” to which he replied, “He used to take the saddle, put it straight, and pray facing the back of it.”
Abu Juhaifa said, “I saw God's Messenger in Mecca at al-Abtah in a red leather tent, I saw Bilal take the ablution water left by God’s Messenger, and I saw the people racing one another to get to that ablution water. If anyone got any of it he rubbed himself with it, and anyone who did not get any got some of the moisture from his companion’s hand. I then saw Bilal take a staff and fix it in the ground, after which God’s Messenger came out quickly in a red mantle and led the people in two rak'as facing the staff. And I saw people and animals passing in front of the staff.”
Talha b. ‘Ubaidallah reported God’s Messenger as saying, “When one of you places in front of him something such as the back of a saddle, he should pray without caring who passes on the other side of it.”
Ibn ‘Umar said that the Prophet would go out in the morning* to the place of prayer with a staff in front of him which was carried and set up in front of him in the place of prayer, and he would pray in its direction.
