It was narrated from Ibn ‘Umar that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to set out for the praying place in the morning of the day of ‘Eid, and a small spear would be carried before him. When he reached the praying place, it would be set up in front of him, then he would pray facing it, and that was because the praying place was an open space in which there was nothing that could serve as a Sutrah*. *Sutrah (screen), meaning a barrier of some type.  

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ كَانَ يَغْدُو إِلَى الْمُصَلَّى فِي يَوْمِ الْعِيدِ وَالْعَنَزَةُ تُحْمَلُ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ فَإِذَا بَلَغَ الْمُصَلَّى نُصِبَتْ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ فَيُصَلِّي إِلَيْهَا وَذَلِكَ أَنَّ الْمُصَلَّى كَانَ فَضَاءً لَيْسَ فِيهِ شَىْءٌ يُسْتَتَرُ بِهِ  

“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.” Nafiʿ said: It is from here that the leaders have taken this practice.  

كَانَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ إِذَا صَلَّى يَوْمَ عِيدٍ أَوْ غَيْرَهُ نُصِبَتِ الْحَرْبَةُ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ فَيُصَلِّي إِلَيْهَا وَالنَّاسُ مِنْ خَلْفِهِ قَالَ نَافِعٌ فَمِنْ ثَمَّ اتَّخَذَهَا الأُمَرَاءُ  

It was narrated from Anas bin Malik that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ prayed ‘Eid at the prayer place, using a small spear as a Sutrah.  

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ صَلَّى الْعِيدَ بِالْمُصَلَّى مُسْتَتِرًا بِحَرْبَةٍ