The Undesirable Case of One’s Sleeping Alone and the Characteristics Prohibited because of its Frightfulness

Al-Kāfi|Volume 6|Book 7|Chapter 69

Al-Kāfi

Volume 6, Book 7, Chapter 69

The Undesirable Case of One’s Sleeping Alone and the Characteristics Prohibited because of its Frightfulness
10 Aḥadīth
Ḥadīth 1

مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ ابْنِ فَضَّالٍ عَنِ ابْنِ الْقَدَّاحِ عَنْ أَبِيهِ قَالَ نَزَلْتُ عَلَى أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ ( عليه السلام ) فَقَالَ يَا مَيْمُونُ مَنْ يَرْقُدُ مَعَكَ بِاللَّيْلِ أَ مَعَكَ غُلَامٌ قُلْتُ لَا قَالَ فَلَا تَنَمْ وَحْدَكَ فَإِنَّ أَجْرَأَ مَا يَكُونُ الشَّيْطَانُ عَلَى الْإِنْسَانِ إِذَا كَانَ وَحْدَهُ .

1. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from ibn Faddal from ibn al-Qaddah from his father who has said the following: “I once visited abu Ja‘far (a.s.), and he asked saying, ‘O Maymun, who sleeps near you in the night, is there a slave with you?’ I replied, ‘No, no one sleeps near me.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘Do not sleep alone; Satan becomes more daring against man when he finds him alone.’”

Ḥadīth 2

أَحْمَدُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ ابْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنِ الْعَلَاءِ بْنِ رَزِينٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ ( عليه السلام ) قَالَ مَنْ تَخَلَّى عَلَى قَبْرٍ أَوْ بَالَ قَائِماً أَوْ بَالَ فِي مَاءٍ قَائِماً أَوْ مَشَى فِي حِذَاءٍ وَاحِدٍ أَوْ شَرِبَ قَائِماً أَوْ خَلَا فِي بَيْتٍ وَحْدَهُ وَ بَاتَ عَلَى غَمَرٍ فَأَصَابَهُ شَيْ‏ءٌ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ لَمْ يَدَعْهُ إِلَّا أَنْ يَشَاءَ اللَّهُ وَ أَسْرَعُ مَا يَكُونُ الشَّيْطَانُ إِلَى الْإِنْسَانِ وَ هُوَ عَلَى بَعْضِ هَذِهِ الْحَالَاتِفَإِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ( صلى الله عليه وآله ) خَرَجَ فِي سَرِيَّةٍ فَأَتَى وَادِيَ مَجَنَّةٍ فَنَادَى أَصْحَابَهُ أَلَا لِيَأْخُذْ كُلُّ رَجُلٍ مِنْكُمْ بِيَدِ صَاحِبِهِ وَ لَا يَدْخُلَنَّ رَجُلٌ وَحْدَهُ وَ لَا يَمْضِي رَجُلٌ وَحْدَهُقَالَ فَتَقَدَّمَ رَجُلٌ وَحْدَهُ فَانْتَهَى إِلَيْهِ وَ قَدْ صُرِعَ فَأُخْبِرَ بِذَلِكَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ( صلى الله عليه وآله ) فَأَخَذَ بِإِبْهَامِهِ فَغَمَزَهَا ثُمَّ قَالَ بِسْمِ اللَّهِ اخْرُجْ خَبِيثُ أَنَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ قَالَ فَقَامَ .

2. Ahmad ibn Muhammad has narrated from ibn Mahbub al-‘ Ala’ ibn Razin from Muhammad ibn Muslim who has said the following: “Abu Ja‘far (a.s.), has stated this Hadith. ‘Unless Allah wills otherwise, something from Satan reaches very fast to one who defecates on a grave or urinates standing or urinates in stagnant water or walks in one shoe or drinks water standing, or stays in a house alone or sleeps overnight with his hands greasy with animal fat. The Messenger of Allah, O Allah (saww) once travelled in a group of people during an armed expedition and reached in the valley where Jinns lived. He (the Messenger of Allah) called his companions saying, ‘Every one of you must hold the hand of another one and no one must enter alone and no one must walk ahead.’ One man moved forward alone, he completed the area of the valley but he became epileptic. The Messenger of Allah was informed about it and he (the Messenger of Allah) pressed his finger against him and touched, then said, ‘In the name of Allah, O filthy (Jinn) move out, I am the Messenger of Allah.’ He then stood up.’”

Ḥadīth 3

مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْحَكَمِ عَنْ أَبَانٍ الْأَحْمَرِ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ ( عليه السلام ) قَالَ قَالَ إِنَّ الشَّيْطَانَ أَشَدَّ مَا يَهُمُّ بِالْإِنْسَانِ حِينَ يَكُونُ وَحْدَهُ خَالِياً لَا أَرَى أَنْ يَرْقُدَ وَحْدَهُ .

3. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from ‘Abd Allah ibn Muhammad from Ali ibn al-Hakam from Aban al-Ahmar from Muhammad ibn Muslim who has said the following: “Abu Ja‘far (a.s.), has said that Satan is the strongest against man when he is alone without anything and I say that he must not sleep alone.’”

Ḥadīth 4

عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ عَنْ عُثْمَانَ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ سَمَاعَةَ بْنِ مِهْرَانَ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) 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 .

4. A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Khalid from ‘Uthman ibn ‘Isa from Sama‘ah ibn Mehran who has said the following: “I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about the case of a man who sleeps in a house alone. He (the Imam) said, ‘I dislike it but if it is an emergency, then it is not harmful, however, he must speak of Allah a great deal and as much as he can, when he goes to sleep.’”

Ḥadīth 5

عَنْهُ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ الْمُغِيرَةِ وَ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ سِنَانٍ عَنْ طَلْحَةَ بْنِ زَيْدٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) أَنَّهُ كَرِهَ أَنْ يَنَامَ فِي بَيْتٍ لَيْسَ عَلَيْهِ بَابٌ وَ لَا سِتْرٌ .

5. It is narrated from the narrator of the previous Hadith from his father from ‘Abd Allah ibn al-Mughirah and Muhammad ibn Sinan from Talhah ibn Zayd who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), disliked one’s sleeping in a house which does not have a door or a curtain.’”

Ḥadīth 6

وَ بِإِسْنَادِهِ قَالَ إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ( صلى الله عليه وآله ) كَرِهَ أَنْ يَدْخُلَ بَيْتاً مُظْلِماً إِلَّا بِسِرَاجٍ .

6. Through the same chain of narrators as that of the previous Hadith the following is narrated: “The Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, disliked entering a dark house without a lamp.”

Ḥadīth 7

عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ عَنْ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ الْأَشْعَرِيِّ عَنِ ابْنِ الْقَدَّاحِ عَنْ أَبِيهِ مَيْمُونٍ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ ( عليه السلام ) أَنَّهُ قَالَ لِمُحَمَّدِ بْنِ سُلَيْمَانَ أَيْنَ نَزَلْتَ قَالَ فِي مَكَانِ كَذَا وَ كَذَا قَالَ مَعَكَ أَحَدٌ قَالَ لَا قَالَ لَا تَكُنْ وَحْدَكَ تَحَوَّلْ عَنْهُ يَا مَيْمُونُ فَإِنَّ الشَّيْطَانَ أَجْرَأَ مَا يَكُونُ عَلَى الْإِنْسَانِ إِذَا كَانَ وَحْدَهُ .

7. A number of our people have narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from Ja‘far ibn Muhammad al-Ash‘ariy from ibn al-Qaddah from his father Maymun who has said the following: “Abu Ja‘far (a.s.), once asked Muhammad ibn Sulayman, ‘Where have you found lodging?’ He replied, ‘It is in so and so place.’ He (the Imam) asked, ‘Is there anyone else with you?’ he replied, ‘No, there is no one with me.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘Move from there, O Maymun and do not stay there alone; Satan is most daring against man when he is alone.’”

Ḥadīth 8

سَهْلٌ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَبِي نَصْرٍ عَنْ صَفْوَانَ عَنِ الْعَلَاءِ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ عَنْ أَحَدِهِمَا ( عليهما السلام ) أَنَّهُ قَالَ لَا تَشْرَبْ وَ أَنْتَ قَائِمٌ وَ لَا تَبُلْ فِي مَاءٍ نَقِيعٍ وَ لَا تَطُفْ بِقَبْرٍ وَ لَا تَخْلُ فِي بَيْتٍ وَحْدَكَ وَ لَا تَمْشِ فِي نَعْلٍ وَاحِدٍ فَإِنَّ الشَّيْطَانَ أَسْرَعَ مَا يَكُونُ إِلَى الْعَبْدِ إِذَا كَانَ عَلَى بَعْضِ هَذِهِ الْأَحْوَالِوَ قَالَ إِنَّهُ مَا أَصَابَ أَحَداً شَيْ‏ءٌ عَلَى هَذِهِ الْحَالِ فَكَادَ أَنْ يُفَارِقَهُ إِلَّا أَنْ يَشَاءَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ .

8. Sahl has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from ibn abu Nasr from Safwan from al-‘Ala’ from Muhammad ibn Muslim who has said the following: “One of the two Imam, (abu Ja‘far or abu ‘Abd Allah), ‘Alayhim al-Salam, has stated this Hadith. ‘You must not drink water when you are standing, must not urinate in stagnant water, must not spit on a grave, must not stay in a house alone, you must not walk in one shoe; Satan is the fastest against a servant when he is in one of such conditions.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘If one becomes affected in any one of such conditions, it will not leave him unless Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, wants otherwise.’”

Ḥadīth 9

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

9. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from ibn abu ‘ Umayr from Hammad from al-Halabiy who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘Satan is the strongest against man when he is alone, thus one must not sleep alone or travel alone.’”

Ḥadīth 10

عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ وَ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ جَمِيعاً عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنِ الدِّهْقَانِ عَنْ دُرُسْتَ عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْحَمِيدِ عَنْ أَبِي الْحَسَنِ مُوسَى ( عليه السلام ) قَالَ ثَلَاثَةٌ يُتَخَوَّفُ مِنْهَا الْجُنُونُ التَّغَوُّطُ بَيْنَ الْقُبُورِ وَ الْمَشْيُ فِي خُفٍّ وَاحِدٍ وَ الرَّجُلُ يَنَامُ وَحْدَهُ وَ هَذِهِ الْأَشْيَاءُ إِنَّمَا كُرِهَتْ لِهَذِهِ الْعِلَّةِ وَ لَيْسَتْ هِيَ بِحَرَامٍ.

10. A number of our people have narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad and Ali ibn Ibrahim all from Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from al-Dihqan from Durust from Ibrahim ibn ‘Abd al-Hamid who has said the following: “Abu al-Hassan, Musa (a.s.), has said, ‘Three things are feared for causing insanity: defecating among the gravesites, walking in one shoe and a man’s sleeping alone.’ Such things are disliked because of such reasons but they are not unlawful.” (The last sentence apparently is the words of the compiler).