Thus, the hidden defect lies with Jabrūn ibn ʿĪsā. And Allah knows best.

As for al-Haythamī, he did not address him in connection with this hadith, as was his habit; rather, he gave the misleading impression that he was one of the narrators of the Ṣaḥīḥ. He said (10/224): “Al-Ṭabarānī narrated it, and its narrators are those of the Ṣaḥīḥ, except for Yaḥyā ibn Sulaymān al-Ḥafrī. Al-Dhahabī declared him trustworthy at the end of the biographical notice of Yaḥyā ibn Sulaymān al-Jaʿfī.”

2312 — “Whoever cleanses himself with stones should use three.”

Al-Ṭabarānī transmitted it in al-Kabīr (1) through Qays ibn al-Rabīʿ, with his chain from Ibn ʿUmar, who attributed it to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him. Al-Haythamī said (1/211): “Al-Thawrī and Shuʿbah declared Qays ibn al-Rabīʿ trustworthy, while a group of scholars deemed him weak.”

I say: The hadith has a strong corroborating report, narrated by al-Aʿmash from Abū Sufyān from Jābir, attributed to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, with the wording: “When one of you cleanses himself with stones, let him use three.” Aḥmad transmitted it (3/400), as did Ibn Khuzaymah in his Ṣaḥīḥ (76), from whom al-Bayhaqī transmitted it (1/103–104).

I say: This is an authentic chain according to Muslim’s criteria. Muslim also transmitted it (1/147) through Abū al-Zubayr, who heard Jābir ibn ʿAbd Allāh narrate it, but without the words “three.” It is also one of Aḥmad’s narrations (3/294). In another of his narrations (3/336), through Ibn Lahīʿah, it reads: “When one of you defecates, let him wipe himself three times.” Ibn Lahīʿah is acceptable in corroborative reports and supporting chains.