Sleeping the Night Alone in a House

Following my previous post, many brothers and friends, wondered about the connection between Satan and some of the actions that were mentioned, particularly drinking while standing. 

            One approach that may help us obtain the proper understanding about drinking water while standing is to see what is said about each other action in that list. As it is noticeable in my previous blog post, there is not any distinction mentioned between any of the six actions. In other words, they are all placed on the same level and category. It seems that they all must be perceived in a similar manner.  In simpler words, drinking while standing is on the same level and must be perceived similarly as defecating on graves and remaining alone in an empty house. 

            For this reason, in this post, I will post two acceptable traditions, one Reliable and one Good, about remaining alone in a house. Knowing these two traditions will not only give us more reasons to not remain alone in a house or sleep alone or travel alone, but they may in fact provide us with a valid perception on the other six actions that were mentioned in my previous blog post.

            Here are the traditions:

4) Reliable

Arabic Text:

عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ عَنْ عُثْمَانَ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ سَمَاعَةَ بْنِ مِهْرَانَ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع عَنِ الرَّجُلِ يَبِيتُ فِي بَيْتٍ وَحْدَهُ فَقَالَ إِنِّي لَأَكْرَهُ ذَلِكَ وَ إِنِ اضْطُرَّ إِلَى ذَلِكَ فَلَا بَأْسَ وَ لَكِنْ يُكْثِرُ ذِكْرَ اللَّهِ فِي مَنَامِهِ مَا اسْتَطَاعَ

English Translation:

Narrated by a number of our companions from Ahmed Ibn Mohamed Ibn Khaled from Osman Ibn Eissa from Sama’a Ibn Mahran who said:

I asked Abu Abdullah (peace be upon him) regarding a man who sleeps the night alone in a house. He [the Imam] replied: “Verily I detest it but if it is unavoidable so be it. But he must make remembrance of God in his sleep as much as he is able.”

9)  Good

Arabic Text:

عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ حَمَّادٍ عَنِ الْحَلَبِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع قَالَ إِنَّ الشَّيْطَانَ أَشَدَّ مَا يَهُمُّ بِالْإِنْسَانِ إِذَا كَانَ وَحْدَهُ فَلَا تَبِيتَنَّ وَحْدَكَ وَ لَا تُسَافِرَنَّ وَحْدَكَ

English Translation:

Narrated by Ali Ibn Ibrahim from his father from Ibn Abu Omeir from Hammad from Al-Halabi from Abu Abdullah (peace be upon him) who said:

"Satan preys upon a man most when he is alone. Therefore, do not sleep the night alone and do not travel alone.”

Source:

Al-Kafi, Volume 6, Page 533, Tradition #4

Al-Kafi, Volume 6, Page 534, Tradition #9

* Avoid:

• Sleeping the night alone in a house
• Travelling alone