Collect 49-70 chickpea-sized pebbles from the ground at مزدلفة (or anywhere); wash and store them in a small bag, collecting a few extras in case of drops.
While the السنة is to collect pebbles at مزدلفة during the overnight stay, scholars agree that pebbles may be collected from anywhere — مزدلفة, منى, or any other location. The ground at مزدلفة is covered with suitable small stones. Collect them during the evening or early morning before departure.
The number of pebbles needed depends on how many days you stay in منى. If you leave on the 12th of ذو الحجة (Nafr Awwal / early departure), you need 49 pebbles: 7 for الجمرات al-Aqabah on the 10th, 21 for all three pillars on the 11th (7 each), and 21 for all three pillars on the 12th (7 each). If you stay until the 13th, you need 70 pebbles (an additional 21 for the 13th). It is wise to collect a few extra in case any are dropped or lost during the stoning.
Each pebble should be about the size of a chickpea or date pit — roughly 1-2 cm in diameter. They should not be too large (which could injure someone) or too small (which might not count). Avoid using broken pieces of concrete, bricks, or other manufactured materials — natural stones from the ground are what is required. Wash the pebbles if you can and store them in a small cloth bag, ziplock bag, or even in the folds of your الإحرام belt for easy access during the stoning.
النبي (صلى الله عليه وسلم) picked up pebbles for the stoning and they were like the pebbles used for slingshots (slightly bigger than chickpeas).
النبي (صلى الله عليه وسلم) picked up pebbles for the stoning and they were like the pebbles used for slingshots (slightly bigger than chickpeas).
Source: al-Nawawi, Al-Majmu; Ibn al-Qayyim, Zad al-Ma'ad
النبي (صلى الله عليه وسلم) picked up pebbles for the stoning and they were like the pebbles used for slingshots (slightly bigger than chickpeas).
Sahih Muslim #1299 (sahih)