Muhammad ibn al-Muthanna narrated to us, Abdullah ibn Numayr narrated to us — and Ibn Numayr also narrated to us, and the wording is his — my father narrated to us, Ubaydullah narrated to us, from Nafi', from Ibn 'Umar, that when the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) went out on the day of the 'Eid, he would command that a short spear be brought and placed in front of him, and he would pray toward it while the people were behind him. He would do this on journeys as well, and it is from this that the rulers adopted it.