It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) prayed at Mina without a wall or the like in front of him. Meanwhile I arrived, riding, and in those days I was close to puberty. I passed in front of the row, let the donkey loose to graze, and then entered the row, and no one objected to me.
Imam al-Shafi'i (may Allah have mercy on him) says: The words of Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both), "towards something other than a wall", mean towards something other than a sutrah; and Allah knows best.
Imam al-Bayhaqi (may Allah have mercy on him) says: Malik bin Anas (may Allah have mercy on him) mentioned these words in this hadith in Kitab al-Manasik, and he narrated it in Kitab al-Salah without these words. Imam al-Shafi'i (may Allah have mercy on him) narrated it in his earlier view as it is narrated in Kitab al-Manasik, and in his later view as it is in Kitab al-Salah.
Hadith Referenceالسنن الكبرى للبيهقي / كتاب الصلاة / 3479
(a) It is narrated from Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) prayed in open ground, with nothing in front of him.
(b) There is a supporting narration (shahid) for this hadith, more authentic than it, reported from Sayyiduna al-Fadl bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both).
Hadith Referenceالسنن الكبرى للبيهقي / كتاب الصلاة / 3480
Sayyiduna al-Muttalib bin Abi Wada'ah (may Allah be pleased with him) relates: I saw the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) praying near the gate of Banu Sahm while people were passing in front of him (peace and blessings be upon him), and there was no sutrah between him (peace and blessings be upon him) and those people.
Hadith Referenceالسنن الكبرى للبيهقي / كتاب الصلاة / 3481
Kathir bin Kathir (may Allah have mercy on him) narrates from his father, via his grandfather, who said: I saw the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) praying while people were passing in front of him (peace and blessings be upon him). Sufyan (may Allah have mercy on him) says: I went to Kathir (may Allah have mercy on him) and asked him: "Is this a hadith you narrate from your father?" He said: "I did not hear this hadith from my father; rather, some of my family narrated it to me via my grandfather al-Muttalib."
(b) Ali (may Allah have mercy on him) says: Kathir's saying "I did not hear it from my father" is a serious point against Ibn Jurayj. Abu Sa'id Uthman says: That is, Ibn Jurayj did not preserve it accurately.
(c) The Shaykh (may Allah have mercy on him) says: It has also been reported from Ibn Jurayj, from Kathir, from his father, who said: The notables of Banu al-Muttalib narrated it to me from al-Muttalib. The narration of Ibn Uyaynah is better preserved.
Hadith Referenceالسنن الكبرى للبيهقي / كتاب الصلاة / 3482