645 - Issue: He said: (And it is recommended that one washes them.)

There is a difference (1) regarding Ahmad on this matter. It is narrated from him that it is recommended, because it was narrated from Ibn Umar that he used to wash them, and Tawus used to do it; and Ibn Umar was keen on following the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). It is also narrated from Ahmad that it is not recommended. He said: It has not reached us that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) did so. This is the correct view. It is the position of Ata, Malik, and many of the scholars, for when the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) had the pebbles picked up for him while he was mounted on his camel, he would hold them (2) in his hand without washing them, nor did he command their washing, and there is no inherent meaning in the ritual that requires it. If one throws a najis (impure) stone, it suffices because it is a pebble. It is also possible that it does not suffice because one is performing an act of worship with it, so its purity is considered, just like the stone for istijmar (cleaning oneself after excretion) and the soil for tayammum (dry ablution). If he washes it and then throws it, it suffices, in one single opinion. The number of pebbles is seventy; he throws seven of them on (3) the Day of Sacrifice (Yawm al-Nahr), and the rest during the days of Mina. And Allah knows best.

646 - Issue: He said: (When he reaches (1) Mina, he shall throw at the Jamrat al-'Aqabah with seven pebbles, saying the takbir after each pebble, and he shall not stop by it.)

The boundary of Mina is between the Jamrat al-'Aqabah and the Wadi Muhassir. This is what Ata and al-Shafi'i said. Muhassir and al-'Aqabah are not part of Mina. It is recommended to take the middle path that leads to the Major Jamrah, for the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) took it. This is as stated in the hadith of Jabir (2). When he reaches Mina, he begins with the Jamrat al-'Aqabah, which is the last of the Jamarat relative to the side of Mina, and the first of them relative to the side of Makkah.