Hadithcore
Sahih al-Bukhari, 1105
sahih

Narrated Salim bin `Abdullah:

Ibn `Umar said, "Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) used to pray the Nawafil on the back of his Mount (carriage) by signs facing any direction." Ibn `Umar used to do the same.

حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الْيَمَانِ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنَا شُعَيْبٌ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي سَالِمُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم كَانَ يُسَبِّحُ عَلَى ظَهْرِ رَاحِلَتِهِ حَيْثُ كَانَ وَجْهُهُ، يُومِئُ بِرَأْسِهِ، وَكَانَ ابْنُ عُمَرَ يَفْعَلُهُ‏.‏

References2 variants
In-Book Reference
Book 18, Hadith 25
USC-MSA web (English) reference
Vol. 2, Book 20, Hadith 208 (deprecated numbering scheme)
Sharh · explanationclick to expand
The Companions of the Prophet ﷺ were always eager to follow his guidance and way, especially with regards to the prayer, as it is fixed in its description and the manner in which it is performed. This hadeeth elucidates on the permissibility of performing voluntary prayers on top of one’s riding animal (vehicle), excluding the obligatory prayers. Ibn ʿUmar (may Allah be pleased with them) reports that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to perform the sunnah and supererogatory prayers- on the back of his ride - which is the camel that he would ride during his travels, and in other instances [as well] - however it was facing. It was not necessary to turn towards the Qiblah. On the contrary, the Qiblah [in this situation] is wherever his riding camel is walking towards. Excluded from that ruling is if one is traveling via a means of transportation where they can turn towards the Qiblah during the journey without much difficulty, like a ship for example. So [in this instance] it would be necessary for him to turn towards the Qiblah. Ibn ʿUmar described how the Messenger of Allah’s ﷺ bowed and prostratedwhile he was on top of the animal: that he would motion with his head [to perform the bowing and prostration], meaning: lowering it a bit for when the bowing[occurs in the prayer], and he would perform the prostrationlower [than the one done for the bowing] - and it is [done to a] lesser [extent] than the form of the complete prostration. Then, Saalim ibn ʿAbdullah ibn ʿUmar reported that his father (may Allah be pleased with him) would perform voluntary prayers atop his riding animal, emulating the Prophet ﷺ. As for the narration in Saheeh al-Bukhaaree where Ibn ʿUmar (may Allah be pleased with them) reports: “I accompanied the Prophet ﷺ and I did not see him perform any supererogatory prayers while traveling.” It refers to the sunnah prayers that are tied and performed either before or after the five obligatory ones. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ would not adhere to performing while traveling - excluding the two-units sunnah prayer performed before Fajr, and the Witr prayer. This narration also elucidates the ease that we have in our acts of worship, especially when it comes to the prayer. .