It wasnarrated from Tufail bin Ubayy bin Ka'b that his father said:
"TheMessenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to pray facing the trunk of a date-palmtree when the mosque was still a hut, and he used to deliver thesermon leaning on that trunk. A man from among his Companions said:'Would you like us to make you something upon which you can standonFridays so that the people will be able to see you and hear yoursermon?' He said: 'Yes.' So he made three steps for him, as apulpit.When they put the pulpit in place, they put it in the placewhere itstands now. When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) wanted tostand on thepulpit, he passed by the tree trunk from which he usedto deliver thesermon, and when he went beyond the trunk, it moanedand split andcracked. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) came down when heheard thevoice of the trunk, and rubbed it with his hand until itfell silent.Then he went back to the pulpit and when he prayed, heprayed facingit. When the mosque was knocked down (for renovation)and (thepillars, etc.) were changed, Ubayy bin Ka'b took thattrunk and keptit in his house until it became very old and thetermites consumed itand it became grains of dust."
English reference: Vol. 1, Book 5, Hadith 1414
Arabic reference: Book 5, Hadith 1479