Construction of Buildings

1. A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Khalid from his father from ‘ Abd Allah ibn al-Fadl al- Nawfaliy, from Ziyad ibn ‘Umar and al-Ju‘fiy from those who narrated to him who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, has appointed an angel on buildings who says to those who raise a roof higher than eight yards (arms length), “Where do you want to go, O sinful person?’””

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.

2. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from Hisham ibn al-Hakam and others who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘If the roof of a house is higher than seven’ or as he (the Imam) said, ‘eight yards (arm-length), it is the residence of Satan or his living quarter.’”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.

3. Ali ibn Ibrahim and a number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn abu ‘Abd Allah and Sahl ibn Ziyad all from Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from abu Muhammad al-Ansariy from Aban ibn ‘Uthman who has said the following: “A man once complained before abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about people of the land mocking at his family and children. He (the Imam) asked, ‘How much is the height of your house?’ He replied, ‘It is ten yards.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘Make it eight yards, then write verse 2:255 between the eigth and tenth yards as you go around; a house with a roof higher than eight yards is an assembly place for Jinn who come and live there.’”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.

4. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from ’Isma‘il ibn Marrar and Ahmad ibn abu ‘Abd Allah from his father all from Yunus from those whom he has mentioned who has said the following: “About the case of the roof of a house which is eight yards high, abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that it is a residence. If it is higher than eight yards, then on the level of eight yard height you must write verse 2:255.’”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.

5. A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn abu ‘Abd Allah from Muhammad ibn Ali from Muhammad ibn Sinan from Hamzah ibn Humran who has said the following: “Once, a man complained before abu Ja‘far (a.s.), saying, ‘Jinn has expelled us from our homes.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘Keep the height of the roof of your houses seven yards (arm-length).’ The man has said, ‘We followed the instruction and thereafter we did not see anything that we dislike.’”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.

6. A number of our people have narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from Ja‘far ibn Bashir from Al-Husayn Zurarah from Muhammad ibn Muslim who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘Build your house seven yards high; anything higher than this becomes residence of Satans. Satans do not live in the sky or on earth. They live in the air.’”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.

7. It is narrated from the narrator of the previous Hadith Ali ibn al-Hakam and Muhassan ibn Ahmad from Aban ibn ‘Uthman from Muhammad ibn ’Isma‘il who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘If the height of the house is more than eight yards (Zira’ arm-length) then write verse 2:255 above that level.’”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.