Mukhtasar Muslim

‘Sayyiduna Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) reports that’ the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Taking stones for istinja (purification) should be in odd numbers, and the pebbles for Jamrah are in odd numbers, and the Sa’i between Safa and Marwah is in odd numbers, and the Tawaf of the Ka’bah is in odd numbers (that is, all three are seven each), and it is necessary that whoever takes stones for istinja should take an odd number (that is, three or five, in which purification is properly achieved. That is, if purification is achieved with four, then take one more so that it becomes odd. And some foolish jurists who have written that at the time of purification, one should strike the stone three times so as to avoid using a tasbih, this is an innovation, baseless, and a futile act. And taking an odd number of stones is considered mustahabb (recommended) according to the majority of scholars).”