Mukhtasar Muslim

Narrated Jabir bin Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him): The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: When night falls, or he said: When you enter the evening, keep your children inside (the houses), for at that time the devils spread out. Then when a part of the night has passed, let them go, and mention the name of Allah and close the doors, for the devil does not open a closed door. And mention the name of Allah when tying the mouth of your water skins, and cover your vessels, mentioning the name of Allah. (If you do not find anything to cover the vessels except to place a stick across them in width, then do so), and extinguish your lamps.

`Sayyiduna Jabir bin Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) reports that` the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Cover the vessels and tie the water skins, for there is a night in the year in which a plague descends. Then, whatever uncovered vessel or untied water skin it finds, the plague descends into it. And in one narration, Laith (the narrator) said that among us, in non-Arab lands, people avoid this in "Kanun Awwal" (that is, December).