حَدَّثَنَا يَعْقُوبُ حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي عَنِ صَالِحٍ قَالَ قَالَ ابْنُ شِهَابٍ أَخْبَرَنِي عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ كَعْبِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ أَنَّ ابْنَ عَبَّاسٍ أَخْبَرَهُ أَنَّ عَلِيَّ بْنَ أَبِي طَالِبٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ خَرَجَ مِنْ عِنْدِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فِي وَجَعِهِ الَّذِي تُوُفِّيَ فِيهِ فَقَالَ النَّاسُ يَا أَبَا حَسَنٍ كَيْفَ أَصْبَحَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَقَالَ أَصْبَحَ بِحَمْدِ اللَّهِ بَارِئًا قَالَ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ فَأَخَذَ بِيَدِهِ عَبَّاسُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الْمُطَّلِبِ فَقَالَ أَلَا تَرَى أَنْتَ وَاللَّهِ إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ سَيُتَوَفَّى فِي وَجَعِهِ هَذَا إِنِّي أَعْرِفُ وُجُوهَ بَنِي عَبْدِ الْمُطَّلِبِ عِنْدَ الْمَوْتِ فَاذْهَبْ بِنَا إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَلْنَسْأَلْهُ فِيمَنْ هَذَا الْأَمْرُ فَإِنْ كَانَ فِينَا عَلِمْنَا ذَلِكَ وَإِنْ كَانَ فِي غَيْرِنَا كَلَّمْنَاهُ فَأَوْصَى بِنَا فَقَالَ عَلِيٌّ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ وَاللَّهِ لَئِنْ سَأَلْنَاهَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَمَنَعَنَاهَا لَا يُعْطِينَاهَا النَّاسُ أَبَدًا فَوَاللَّهِ لَا أَسْأَلُهُ أَبَدًا
مسند امام احمد بن حنبل · Hadith 2374
Ibn Shihab said: 'Abdullah bin Ka'b bin Malik told me that Ibn 'Abbas (RA) told him that 'Ali bin Abi Talib (RA) left from (visiting) the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) during his final illness, and the people said; O Abu Hasan, how is the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) this morning? He said: He is better, praise be to Allah. Ibn 'Abbas (RA) said: 'Abbas bin 'Abdul-Muttalib took hold of his hand and said: Don't you see, by Allah, that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) will die of this sickness? I know the faces of Banu 'Abdul- Muttalib when they are dying. Let us go to the Messenger of Allah (PBUH)and ask him who should be in charge of this matter (after he dies). If it is one of us, we will know it, and if it is someone else, we will ask him to advise (that person) to be kind to us and take care of us. 'Ali (RA) said: By Allah, if we ask the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) and he says no, he (his successor) is not one of us, the people will never give it to us. By Allah, I will never ask him.
Translated by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan · Reviewed by Islamic University of Madinah · Published March 2020