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."
Hadith Referenceمسند الحميدي / 987
Hadith Gradingمحدثین:إسناده صحيح
Hadith Takhrij«إسناده صحيح وأخرجه البخاري فى «صحيحه» برقم: 161، ومسلم فى «صحيحه» برقم: 237 ، ومالك فى «الموطأ» برقم: 24، 46 ، 49 ، وابن خزيمة فى «صحيحه» برقم: 75، وابن حبان فى «صحيحه» برقم: 1410، 1438، 1439، والنسائي فى «المجتبیٰ» برقم: 86 ، 88 ، والنسائي فى «الكبریٰ» برقم: 95، 98، وأبو داود فى «سننه» برقم: 35، 140، والدارمي فى «مسنده» برقم: 689، 730، وابن ماجه فى «سننه» برقم: 337، 338، 409، 3498، والبيهقي فى«سننه الكبير» برقم: 223، 235، 509، 511، وأحمد فى «مسنده» برقم: 7341، وأبو يعلى فى «مسنده»برقم: 5905، 6255، 6328، وابن أبى شيبة فى «مصنفه» برقم: 280، 26152، والطبراني فى «الصغير» برقم: 127»
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.
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