Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah

Hazrat Abdur Rahman bin Auf was performing Tawaf with the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said to him: "How many circuits have been completed?" Then (later) he said: "I asked you so that you may remember (the number of circuits) well."

Hazrat Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) was asked about the Sa’i between Safa and Marwah. He said to the questioner: Start the rounds (Sa’i) from Safa and end at Marwah, and if you fear forgetting the number of rounds, then take small stones or pebbles with you and place one pebble at Safa and another at Marwah (in this way, counting will be easier).

Hazrat Saeed bin Jubair saw a woman who was performing Tawaf and had pebbles in her hand with which she was counting the rounds of Tawaf. He struck her hand (forcefully).

Ibrahim says that when we performed the circuits of Tawaf, we used to have rings with us which we would put on our fingers to keep count.