إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَ وَكَّلَ مَلَكاً بِالْبِنَاءِ يَقُولُ لِمَنْ رَفَعَ سَقْفاً فَوْقَ ثَمَانِيَةِ أَذْرُعٍ أَيْنَ تُرِيدُ يَا فَاسِقُ.
“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?’””
إِذَا كَانَ سَمْكُ الْبَيْتِ فَوْقَ سَبْعَةِ أَذْرُعٍ أَوْ قَالَ ثَمَانِيَةِ أَذْرُعٍ فَكَانَ مَا فَوْقَ السَّبْعِ وَ الثَّمَانِ الْأَذْرُعِ مُحْتَضَراً وَ قَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ مَسْكُوناً[1].
“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.’”
شَكَا إِلَيْهِ رَجُلٌ عَبَثَ أَهْلِ الْأَرْضِ بِأَهْلِ بَيْتِهِ وَ بِعِيَالِهِ فَقَالَ كَمْ سَقْفُ بَيْتِكَ فَقَالَ عَشَرَةُ أَذْرُعٍ فَقَالَ اذْرَعْ ثَمَانِيَةَ أَذْرُعٍ ثُمَّ اكْتُبْ آيَةَ الْكُرْسِيِّ فِيمَا بَيْنَ الثَّمَانِيَةِ إِلَى الْعَشَرَةِ كَمَا تَدُورُ فَإِنَّ كُلَّ بَيْتٍ سَمْكُهُ أَكْثَرُ مِنْ ثَمَانِيَةِ أَذْرُعٍ فَهُوَ مُحْتَضَرٌ تَحْضُرُهُ الْجِنُّ يَكُونُ فِيهِ مَسْكَنُهُ.
“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 aroun
فِي سَمْكِ الْبَيْتِ إِذَا رُفِعَ ثَمَانِيَةَ أَذْرُعٍ كَانَ مَسْكُوناً فَإِذَا زَادَ عَلَى ثَمَانِيَةٍ فَلْيُكْتَبْ عَلَى رَأْسِ الثَّمَانِ آيَةُ الْكُرْسِيِّ.
“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.’”
شَكَا رَجُلٌ إِلَى أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ ع وَ قَالَ أَخْرَجَتْنَا الْجِنُّ عَنْ مَنَازِلِنَا فَقَالَ اجْعَلُوا سُقُوفَ بُيُوتِكُمْ سَبْعَةَ أَذْرُعٍ وَ اجْعَلُوا الْحَمَامَ فِي أَكْنَافِ الدَّارِ قَالَ الرَّجُلُ فَفَعَلْنَا ذَلِكَ فَمَا رَأَيْنَا شَيْئاً نَكْرَهُهُ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ.
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
قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع ابْنِ بَيْتَكَ سَبْعَةَ أَذْرُعٍ فَمَا كَانَ فَوْقَ ذَلِكَ سَكَنَهُ الشَّيَاطِينُ إِنَّ الشَّيَاطِينَ لَيْسَتْ فِي السَّمَاءِ وَ لَا فِي الْأَرْضِ وَ إِنَّمَا تَسْكُنُ الْهَوَاءَ.
“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.’”
إِذَا كَانَ الْبَيْتُ فَوْقَ ثَمَانِيَةِ أَذْرُعٍ فَاكْتُبْ فِي أَعْلَاهُ آيَةَ الْكُرْسِيِّ.
“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.’”