Abu Sa'id al-Khudri reported that the Messenger of Allah ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) used to go out on the day of Adha and on the day of Fitr and commenced the prayer. And after having observed his prayer and pronounced the salutation, he stood up facing people as they were seated at their places of worship. And if he intended to send out an army he made mention of it to the people, and if he intended any other thing besides it, he commanded them (to do that). He used to say (to the people):
Give alms, give alms, give alms, and the majority that gave alms was of women. He then returned and this (practice) remained (in vogue) till Marwan b. al- Hakam (came into power). I went out hand in hand with Marwan till we came to the place of worship and there Kathir b. Salt had built a pulpit of clay and brick. Marwan began to tug me with his hand as though he were pulling me towards the pulpit, while I was pulling him towards the prayer. When I saw him doing that I said: What has happened to the practice of beginning with prayer? He said: No, Abu Sa'id, what you are familiar with has been abandoned. I thereupon said (three times and went back): By no means, by Him in Whose hand my life is, you are not doing anything better than what I am familiar with.