It was narrated that Ibn ‘Umar said:
“When the Prophet ﷺ prayed on the day of ‘Eid or on another occasion, a small spear was set up in front of him, and he prayed facing it, and the people were behind him.”
Nafi` said: It is from here that the leaders have taken this practice.

حَدَّثَنَا سُوَيْدُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُسْهِرٍ، عَنْ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ، عَنْ نَافِعٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ، قَالَ كَانَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ إِذَا صَلَّى يَوْمَ عِيدٍ أَوْ غَيْرَهُ نُصِبَتِ الْحَرْبَةُ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ فَيُصَلِّي إِلَيْهَا وَالنَّاسُ مِنْ خَلْفِهِ . قَالَ نَافِعٌ فَمِنْ ثَمَّ اتَّخَذَهَا الأُمَرَاءُ .