عَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ سِيرِينَ قَالَ: تَلَقَّيْنَا أَنَسَ بْنَ مَالِكٍ حِينَ قَدِمَ مِنَ الشَّامِ فَلَقِيْنَاهُ بِعَيْنِ التَّمْرِ وَهُوَ يُصَلِّي عَلَى دَابَّتِهِ لِغَيْرِ الْقِبْلَةِ، فَقُلْنَا لَهُ: إِنَّكَ تُصَلِّي إِلَى غَيْرِ الْقِبْلَةِ؟ فَقَالَ: لَوْ لَا أَنِّي رَأَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَفْعَلُ ذَلِكَ مَا فَعَلْتُ
Anas bin Sirin says: When Sayyiduna Anas bin Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) returned from Syria, we met him at the place of Ain al-Tamr. We saw that he was praying on his mount facing other than the Qiblah. So we said to him: "Do you pray facing other than the Qiblah?" He replied: "If I had not seen the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) doing so, I would not have done it either."