Caution: Translations of Quran and Ḥadīth may lead to possible misapplications and misinterpretations. This site is intended for students of sacred knowledge that are proficient in comprehending classical Arabic and have a strong foundation in Islamic sciences. Also note that religious injunctions rely on several aspects beyond what one may glean through reading individual aḥādīth.
bukhari:6266Isḥāq > Bishr b. Shuʿayb from my father > al-Zuhrī > ʿAbdullāh b. Kaʿb > ʿAbdullāh b. ʿAbbās > ʿAlī

ʿAli bin Abu Talib came out of the house of the Prophet ﷺ during his fatal ailment. The people asked (ʿAli), "O Abu Hasan! How is the health of Messenger of Allah ﷺ this morning?" ʿAli said, "This morning he is better, with the grace of Allah." Al-ʿAbbas held ʿAli by the hand and said, "Don't you see him (about to die)? By Allah, within three days you will be the slave of the stick (i.e., under the command of another ruler). By Allah, I think that Messenger of Allah ﷺ will die from his present ailment, for I know the signs of death on the faces of the offspring of ʿAbdul Muttalib. So let us go to Messenger of Allah ﷺ to ask him who will take over the Caliphate. If the authority is given to us, we will know it, and if it is given to somebody else we will request him to recommend us to him. " ʿAli said, "By Allah! If we ask Messenger of Allah ﷺ for the rulership and he refuses, then the people will never give it to us. Besides, I will never ask Messenger of Allah ﷺ for it." (See Hadith No 728, Vol 5)  

البخاري:٦٢٦٦حَدَّثَنَا إِسْحَاقُ أَخْبَرَنَا بِشْرُ بْنُ شُعَيْبٍ حَدَّثَنِي أَبِي عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ كَعْبٍ أَنَّ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ عَبَّاسٍ

أَخْبَرَهُ أَنَّ عَلِيًّا يَعْنِي ابْنَ أَبِي طَالِبٍ خَرَجَ مِنْ عِنْدِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ وَحَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ صَالِحٍ حَدَّثَنَا عَنْبَسَةُ حَدَّثَنَا يُونُسُ عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ كَعْبِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ أَنَّ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ عَبَّاسٍ أَخْبَرَهُ أَنَّ عَلِيَّ بْنَ أَبِي طَالِبٍ ؓ خَرَجَ مِنْ عِنْدِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ فِي وَجَعِهِ الَّذِي تُوُفِّيَ فِيهِ فَقَالَ النَّاسُ يَا أَبَا حَسَنٍ كَيْفَ أَصْبَحَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ أَصْبَحَ بِحَمْدِ اللَّهِ بَارِئًا فَأَخَذَ بِيَدِهِ الْعَبَّاسُ فَقَالَ أَلاَ تَرَاهُ أَنْتَ وَاللَّهِ بَعْدَ الثَّلاَثِ عَبْدُ الْعَصَا وَاللَّهِ إِنِّي لأُرَى رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ سَيُتَوَفَّى فِي وَجَعِهِ وَإِنِّي لأَعْرِفُ فِي وُجُوهِ بَنِي عَبْدِ الْمُطَّلِبِ الْمَوْتَ فَاذْهَبْ بِنَا إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَنَسْأَلَهُ فِيمَنْ يَكُونُ الأَمْرُ فَإِنْ كَانَ فِينَا عَلِمْنَا ذَلِكَ وَإِنْ كَانَ فِي غَيْرِنَا أَمَرْنَاهُ فَأَوْصَى بِنَا قَالَ عَلِيٌّ وَاللَّهِ لَئِنْ سَأَلْنَاهَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَيَمْنَعُنَا لاَ يُعْطِينَاهَا النَّاسُ أَبَدًا وَإِنِّي لاَ أَسْأَلُهَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ أَبَدًا  


See similar narrations below:

Collected by Bukhārī, Aḥmad, Bayhaqī
bukhari:4447Isḥāq > Bishr b. Shuʿayb b. Abū Ḥamzah from my father > al-Zuhrī > ʿAbd

ʿAli bin Abu Talib came out of the house of Messenger of Allah ﷺ during his fatal illness. The people asked, "O Abu Hasan (i.e. ʿAli)! How is the health of Messenger of Allah ﷺ this morning?" ʿAli replied, "He has recovered with the Grace of Allah." ʿAbbas bin ʿAbdul Muttalib held him by the hand and said to him, "In three days you, by Allah, will be ruled (by somebody else ), And by Allah, I feel that Allah's Apostle will die from this ailment of his, for I know how the faces of the offspring of ʿAbdul Muttalib look at the time of their death. So let us go to Messenger of Allah ﷺ and ask him who will take over the Caliphate. If it is given to us we will know as to it, and if it is given to somebody else, we will inform him so that he may tell the new ruler to take care of us." ʿAli said, "By Allah, if we asked Allah's Apostle for it (i.e. the Caliphate) and he denied it us, the people will never give it to us after that. And by Allah, I will not ask Messenger of Allah ﷺ for it."  

البخاري:٤٤٤٧حَدَّثَنِي إِسْحَاقُ أَخْبَرَنَا بِشْرُ بْنُ شُعَيْبِ بْنِ أَبِي حَمْزَةَ قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي أَبِي عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ كَعْبِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ الأَنْصَارِيُّ وَكَانَ كَعْبُ بْنُ مَالِكٍ أَحَدَ الثَّلاَثَةِ الَّذِينَ تِيبَ عَلَيْهِمْ أَنَّ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ عَبَّاسٍ

أَخْبَرَهُ أَنَّ عَلِيَّ بْنَ أَبِي طَالِبٍ ؓ خَرَجَ مِنْ عِنْدِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فِي وَجَعِهِ الَّذِي تُوُفِّيَ فِيهِ فَقَالَ النَّاسُ يَا أَبَا حَسَنٍ كَيْفَ أَصْبَحَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَقَالَ أَصْبَحَ بِحَمْدِ اللَّهِ بَارِئًا فَأَخَذَ بِيَدِهِ عَبَّاسُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الْمُطَّلِبِ فَقَالَ لَهُ أَنْتَ وَاللَّهِ بَعْدَ ثَلاَثٍ عَبْدُ الْعَصَا وَإِنِّي وَاللَّهِ لأُرَى رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ سَوْفَ يُتَوَفَّى مِنْ وَجَعِهِ هَذَا إِنِّي لأَعْرِفُ وُجُوهَ بَنِي عَبْدِ الْمُطَّلِبِ عِنْدَ الْمَوْتِ اذْهَبْ بِنَا إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَلْنَسْأَلْهُ فِيمَنْ هَذَا الأَمْرُ إِنْ كَانَ فِينَا عَلِمْنَا ذَلِكَ وَإِنْ كَانَ فِي غَيْرِنَا عَلِمْنَاهُ فَأَوْصَى بِنَا فَقَالَ عَلِيٌّ إِنَّا وَاللَّهِ لَئِنْ سَأَلْنَاهَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَمَنَعَنَاهَا لاَ يُعْطِينَاهَا النَّاسُ بَعْدَهُ وَإِنِّي وَاللَّهِ لاَ أَسْأَلُهَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ  

ahmad:2374Yaʿqūb from my father > Ṣāliḥ > Ibn Shihāb > ʿAbdullāh b. Kaʿb b. Mālik > Ibn ʿAbbās

[Machine] He informed him that Ali ibn Abi Talib came out from the presence of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ during his illness in which he passed away. The people said, "O Abu Hassan, how is the Messenger of Allah ﷺ doing?" He replied, "He is doing well, thanks to Allah." Ibn Abbas said, "Then Abbas ibn Abdul-Muttalib took his hand and said, 'Don't you see? By Allah, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ will pass away in this illness. I know the signs of the descendants of Abdul-Muttalib at death. So let's go to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and ask him about this matter. If he confirms it, we will know. And if he denies it, he will give us advice." Ali said, "By Allah, if we ask the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and he prevents us from it, the people will never give it to us. So I swear by Allah, I will never ask him."  

أحمد:٢٣٧٤حَدَّثَنَا يَعْقُوبُ حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي عَنِ صَالِحٍ قَالَ قَالَ ابْنُ شِهَابٍ أَخْبَرَنِي عَبْدُ اللهِ بْنُ كَعْبِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ أَنَّ ابْنَ عَبَّاسٍ

أَخْبَرَهُ أَنَّ عَلِيَّ بْنَ أَبِي طَالِبٍ خَرَجَ مِنْ عِنْدِ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ فِي وَجَعِهِ الَّذِي تُوُفِّيَ فِيهِ فَقَالَ النَّاسُ يَا أَبَا حَسَنٍ كَيْفَ أَصْبَحَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ؟ فَقَالَ أَصْبَحَ بِحَمْدِ اللهِ بَارِئًا قَالَ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ فَأَخَذَ بِيَدِهِ عَبَّاسُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الْمُطَّلِبِ فَقَالَ أَلا تَرَى أَنْتَ؟ وَاللهِ إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ سَيُتَوَفَّى فِي وَجَعِهِ هَذَا إِنِّي أَعْرِفُ وُجُوهَ بَنِي عَبْدِ الْمُطَّلِبِ عِنْدَ الْمَوْتِ فَاذْهَبْ بِنَا إِلَى رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ فَلْنَسْأَلْهُ فِيمَنْ هَذَا الْأَمْرُ؟ فَإِنْكَانَ فِينَا عَلِمْنَا ذَلِكَ وَإِنْ كَانَ فِي غَيْرِنَا كَلَّمْنَاهُ فَأَوْصَى بِنَا فَقَالَ عَلِيٌّ وَاللهِ لَئِنْ سَأَلْنَاهَا رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ فَمَنَعَنَاهَا لَا يُعْطِينَاهَا النَّاسُ أَبَدًا فَوَاللهِ لَا أَسْأَلُهُ أَبَدًا  

bayhaqi:16574Abū ʿAbdullāh

[Machine] Abu Abdullah Al-Hafiz narrated to us towards the end of the tenth part of Al-Fawa'id Al-Kabeer by Abu Abbas. Abu Abbas Muhammad ibn Ya'qub narrated to us, who narrated from Muhammad ibn Khalid ibn Khulayy Al-Himsy, who narrated from Bishr ibn Shuayb ibn Abi Hamzah, who narrated from his father, who narrated from Az-Zuhri, who narrated from Abdullah ibn Ka'ab ibn Malik Al-Ansari. Ka'ab ibn Malik was one of the three of whom they had doubts. Abdullah ibn Ka'ab informed me that Abdullah ibn Abbas informed him that Ali ibn Abi Talib came out from the presence of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ while he was suffering from the illness in which he passed away. The people said: "O Abu Hassan, how is the Messenger of Allah this morning?" He replied: "He is in a state of gratitude to Allah." Then Abbas ibn Abdil Muttalib took Ali's hand and said: "By Allah, you will be the Caliph after three. I swear by Allah, I see that the Messenger of Allah will pass away from this illness. Verily, I recognize the faces of the sons of Abdil Muttalib at the time of death. So let us go to the Messenger of Allah and ask him about this matter. If he has knowledge of it from us, we will take his advice. If he has knowledge of it from others, we will question him. Ali said: "By Allah, if we ask the Messenger of Allah about this matter and he prevents us from it, the people will never give it to us after him. And I swear by Allah, I will not ask the Messenger of Allah about it."  

البيهقي:١٦٥٧٤

أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو عَبْدِ اللهِ الْحَافِظُ فِي آخِرِ الْجُزْءِ الْعَاشِرِ مِنَ الْفَوَائِدِِ الْكَبِيرِ لِأَبِي الْعَبَّاسِ ثَنَا أَبُو الْعَبَّاسِ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَعْقُوبَ ثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ خَالِدِ بْنِ خُلِيٍّ الْحِمْصِيُّ ثَنَا بِشْرُ بْنُ شُعَيْبِ بْنِ أَبِي حَمْزَةَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ كَعْبِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ الْأَنْصَارِيِّ وَكَانَ كَعْبُ بْنُ مَالِكٍ أَحَدَ الثَّلَاثَةِ الَّذِينَ تِيبَ عَلَيْهِمْ فَأَخْبَرَنِي عَبْدُ اللهِ بْنُ كَعْبٍ أَنَّ عَبْدَ اللهِ بْنَ عَبَّاسٍ أَخْبَرَهُ أَنَّ عَلِيَّ بْنَ أَبِي طَالِبٍ ؓ خَرَجَ مِنْ عِنْدِ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ فِي وَجَعِهِ الَّذِي تُوُفِّيَ فِيهِ فَقَالَ النَّاسُ يَا أَبَا حَسَنٍ كَيْفَ أَصْبَحَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ؟ فَقَالَ أَصْبَحَ بِحَمْدِ اللهِ بَارِئًا قَالَ فَأَخَذَ بِيَدِهِ عَبَّاسُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الْمُطَّلِبِ ؓ فَقَالَ أَنْتَ وَاللهِ بَعْدَ ثَلَاثٍ عَبْدُ الْعَصَا وَإِنِّي وَاللهِ لَأَرَى رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ سَوْفَ يَتَوَفَّاهُ اللهُ مِنْ وَجَعِهِ هَذَا إِنِّي أَعْرِفُ وُجُوهَ بَنِي عَبْدِ الْمُطَّلِبِ عِنْدَ الْمَوْتِ فَاذْهَبْ بِنَا إِلَى رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ فَلْنَسْأَلْهُ فِي مَنْ هَذَا الْأَمْرُ فَإِنْ كَانَ فِينَا عَلِمْنَا ذَلِكَ وَإِنْ كَانَ فِي غَيْرِنَا كَلَّمْنَاهُ فَأَوْصَى بِنَا قَالَ عَلِيٌّ ؓ إِنَّا وَاللهِ لَئِنْ سَأَلْنَاهَا رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ فَمَنَعَنَاهَا لَا يُعْطِينَاهَا النَّاسُ بَعْدَهُ أَبَدًا وَإِنِّي وَاللهِ لَا أَسْأَلُهَا رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ  

رَوَاهُ الْبُخَارِيُّ فِي الصَّحِيحِ عَنْ إِسْحَاقَ عَنْ بِشْرِ بْنِ شُعَيْبٍ وَفِي هَذَا وَفِيمَا قَبْلَهُ دَلَالَةٌ عَلَى أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ لَمْ يَسْتَخْلِفْ أَحَدًا بِالنَّصِّ عَلَيْهِ