“Whoever cleanses himself with stones should use an odd number. Whoever does so has done well; and whoever does not, there is no harm.” (1)
Thus, the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, made clear that this is a recommendation.
Cleansing oneself after relieving oneself is obligatory for every discharge, except wind, …………
His statement, “Cleansing oneself after relieving oneself is obligatory for every discharge except wind,” explains the ruling of istinjā’ (post-relief cleansing) and that for which it is obligatory. He said, “It is obligatory …” Does what is meant here refer to cleansing the area with water, or to something more general than that?
The answer is that it is general: cleansing it with water or with stones is obligatory.
The evidence is that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, instructed Ali ibn Abi Talib to wash his penis after the discharge of madhy (pre-ejaculatory fluid), (2) and madhy is impure. Also, the hadith of Salman: “He instructed us
(1) Narrated by Ahmad, 2:371; Abu Dawud, Book of Purification, chapter: Concealing Oneself When Relieving Oneself, no. 35; Ibn Majah, Book of Purification and Its Sunnahs, chapter: Seeking a Suitable Place for Defecation and Urination, no. 337; Ibn Hibban, no. 1410; and others, through Husayn al-Hubrani, from Abu Sa'id al-Khayr, from Abu Hurayrah, with this wording.
Ibn Hajar said: “Its chain revolves around Abu Sa'd al-Hubrani al-Himsi, concerning whom there is disagreement. It was said that he was a Companion, but this is not sound. Husayn al-Hubrani, who narrates from him, is unknown. Abu Zur'ah said: ‘A shaykh’; Ibn Hibban included him among the trustworthy narrators; and al-Daraqutni mentioned the disagreement concerning him in al-Ilal.” Al-Talkhis al-Habir, no. 123; see also al-Ilal by al-Daraqutni, no. 1570.
Al-Nawawi said: “This is a hasan hadith.” Al-Majmu', 2:55.
Ibn Hajar said: “Its chain is hasan.” Fath al-Bari, commentary on hadith no. 156.
I say: Abu Sa'd (or Sa'id) was certainly a Tabi'i, as Ibn Hajar stated in Tahdhib al-Tahdhib, 12:109. The addition of al-Khayr after his name, found in some narrations, is an error; the correct version omits it, as al-Daraqutni stated in al-Ilal. Thus, the conclusion of al-Hafiz in al-Talkhis is correct: the chain is weak.
(2) Narrated by al-Bukhari, Book of Ghusl, chapter: Washing Madhy and Performing Ablution Because of It, no. 269; and Muslim, Book of Menstruation, chapter: Madhy, no. 303, with the wording: “He washes his penis and performs ablution.”