Narrated Abu Hurairah: The Prophet ﷺ said: If anyone applies collyrium, he should do it an odd number of times. If he does so, he has done well; but if not, there is no harm. If anyone cleanses himself with pebbles, he should use an odd number. If he does so, he has done well; but if not, there is no harm. If anyone eats, he should throw away what he removes with a toothpick and swallow what sticks to his tongue. If he does so, he has done well; if not, there is no harm. If anyone goes to relieve himself, he should conceal himself, and if all he can do is to collect a heap of send, he should sit with his back to it, for the devil makes sport with the posteriors of the children of Adam. If he does so, he has done well; but if not, there is no harm.
Hadith Referenceسنن ابي داود / كتاب الطهارة / 35
Hadith Gradingالألبانی:ضعيف | زبیر علی زئی:ضعيف, إسناده ضعيف،ابن ماجه (337،3498), حصين مجھول كما في تقريب التھذيب (1393), انوار الصحيفه، صفحه نمبر 15
Hadith Takhrij« سنن ابن ماجہ/الطھارة 23 (338)، الطب 6 (3498)، (تحفة الأشراف: 14938)، وقد أخرجہ: صحیح البخاری/الوضو 26 (162)، صحیح مسلم/الطہارة 8 (237) سنن النسائی/الطھارة 72 (88)، موطا امام مالک/الطھارة 1(2)، مسند احمد (2/236، 237، 308، 401، 371)، سنن الدارمی/الطھارة 5 (689) (ضعیف) » (حصین اور ابوسعید الخیر الحبرانی مجہول راوی ہیں)
1؎: By "the playing of Shaytan" it is meant that if there is no screen, then an animal may come from behind and harm him, or seeing him in a state of exposure, some person may come and mock or ridicule him.
Explanation & Benefits
Shaykh Umar Farooq Saeedi
Benefits and Issues: This narration is weak. The matters within it that are established by other ahadith are actionable. It is not necessary to act upon the other matters.
Source: Sunan Abu Dawood – Commentary by Shaykh Umar Farooq Saeedi, Page: 35
Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "When a person uses pebbles (for cleaning), he should use an odd number, and when a person cleans his nose, he should do so an odd number of times."
Shaykh Muhammad Ibrahim bin Basheer
Benefit: From this hadith, it is understood that we should perform every action mentioned in the hadith an odd number of times.
Source: Musnad al-Humaydi: Commentary by Muhammad Ibrahim bin Bashir, Page: 986