Bring me stones so that I may cleanse (my private parts) therewith, but do not bring any bones or animal dung
Authentic hadithعن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه أنَّه كان يَحمِل مع النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم إدَاوَة لوَضوئِه وحاجَتِه، فَبَيْنَما هو يتْبَعُه بها، فقال: «مَنْ هذا؟» فقال: أنا أبو هريرة، فقال: «ابْغِني أحجارًا أسْتَنْفِض بها، ولا تأتِني بعَظْم ولا بِرَوْثَة». فأتيتُه بأحجار أحْمِلها في طرَف ثوبي، حتى وضعتُها إلى جَنْبه، ثم انصرفتُ حتى إذا فَرَغ مشيْتُ، فقلتُ: ما بالُ العَظْم والرَّوْثَة؟ قال: «هما مِنْ طعام الجِنِّ، وإنه أتاني وَفْدُ جِنِّ نَصِيبين، ونِعْمَ الجن، فسألوني الزَّادَ، فدَعَوْتُ اللهَ لهم أن لا يَمُرُّوا بعَظْم ولا برَوْثة إلَّا وجدوا عليها طعامًا».
Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that he was in the company of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) once, carrying a pot of water for his ablution and cleansing purposes. While he was following him and carrying it, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Who is this?" He said: "I am Abu Hurayrah." The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Bring me stones so that I may cleanse (my private parts) therewith, but do not bring any bones or animal dung." Abu Hurayrah went on narrating: "So I brought some stones, carrying them in the corner of my garment, until I put them by his side and went away." When he finished, I walked (with him) and asked: "What is wrong with bones and animal dung?" He said: "They are from the food of the Jinn. A delegation of Jinn from (the city of) Nasībayn came to me —and how good those Jinn were — and asked me for victuals. I invoked Allah for them that they would never pass by a bone or animal dung but that they would find food on them."
Explanation
Abu Hurayrah was walking behind the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) while he was carrying a pot for the Prophet's ablution and cleansing purposes (from impurity). The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) commanded him to bring him some stones which he could use to cleanse himself after answering the call of nature. He instructed him not to bring any bones or animal dung. So Abu Hurayrah brought him some stones in the corner of his garment, put them next to him, and then left. When the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) had answered the call of nature, Abu Hurayrah asked him why he did not want to use bones and animal dung to cleanse himself with. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) told him that they were from the food of the Jinn. A delegation from the Jinn of Nasībayn — a famous city between Syria and Iraq — had once visited the Prophet, who lauded them, and asked him for food. So the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) prayed that they would find food on any bones and animal dung that they would ever pass by. The meaning of this was further specified and clarified in Sahīh Muslim: "For you is each bone on which the name of Allah is mentioned. When it falls in your hand, it will have plenty of flesh; and each piece of dung is fodder for your beasts."
Source · Narrated by Bukhari
From the Hadith Encyclopedia (hadeethenc.com).