Sahih al-Bukhari 507
Sahih al-Bukhari · Book 8: Prayers (Salat) · To offer As-Salat (the prayer) facing a Rahila camel, a tree or a camel saddle as a Sutra).
Narrated Nafi`:
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ أَبِي بَكْرٍ الْمُقَدَّمِيُّ ، حَدَّثَنَا مُعْتَمِرٌ ، عَنْ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ ، عَنْ نَافِعٍ ، عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَنَّهُ كَانَ يُعَرِّضُ رَاحِلَتَهُ فَيُصَلِّي إِلَيْهَا. قُلْتُ أَفَرَأَيْتَ إِذَا هَبَّتِ الرِّكَابُ. قَالَ كَانَ يَأْخُذُ هَذَا الرَّحْلَ فَيُعَدِّلُهُ فَيُصَلِّي إِلَى آخِرَتِهِ ـ أَوْ قَالَ مُؤَخَّرِهِ ـ وَكَانَ ابْنُ عُمَرَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ يَفْعَلُهُ .
"The Prophet (ﷺ) used to make his she-camel sit across and he would pray facing it (as a Sutra)." I asked, "What would the Prophet (ﷺ) do if the she-camel was provoked and moved?" He said, "He would take its camel-saddle and put it in front of him and pray facing its back part (as a Sutra). And Ibn `Umar used to do the same." (This indicates that one should not pray except behind a Sutra).