Muwatta 63

The first hadith in the chapter on general rules of ablution. Yahya transmits from Malik from Hisham ibn Urwa from his father as a mursal: the Prophet ﷺ was asked about istitaba, meaning cleaning after relieving oneself, and answered with disapproval, "Does not one of you find three stones?" The editor glosses istitaba as cleaning, because the one who cleans purifies himself by removing the impurity. Ibn Abd al-Barr says the transmitters generally report it as mursal from Malik; that the version through Urwa from Abu Hurayra (may God be pleased with him) is a gross error; and that Hisham was reported in differing ways. Some report it as mursal from his father, and others through Amr ibn Khuzayma from Amara ibn Khuzayma from Khuzayma ibn Thabit. Ibn al-Mubarak transmitted both, showing they are two hadiths. ^{1 2}

Belongs to the Muwatta, Book of Prayer. Source: the Muwatta. Mentions Muhammad, Hisham ibn Urwa, Urwa ibn al-Zubayr and Ibn Abd al-Barr. Built on in the chapters on purity.