Sheikh Ahmad Kutty, a senior lecturer and Islamic scholar at the Islamic Institute of Toronto, Ontario, Canada , states: “There is hadith stating that a person traveling alone is a shaytan, and the two traveling together are two shaytans, while three persons traveling together are a proper group. This hadith has been reported by Imam Malik, Ahmad, etc.). This hadith cannot be taken literally. It is simply a recommendation to travel in good company, rather than implying a clear interdict against traveling alone, if necessary.
I don’t see any thing wrong for a woman to live alone by herself, if she has no choice, as long as she does take the necessary precautions against temptations. If there had been a clear prohibition, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) would have said so clearly.”