[Machine] When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ died, I said to a man from the Ansar, "Come, let us seek knowledge, for the companions of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ are still alive." He said in astonishment, "O Ibn Abbas, don't you see that people are in need of you? And among the people, are there any companions of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ?" I left that and approached to seek knowledge. If a hadith reached me from a person who heard it from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, I would go to him and sit at his door, with the wind blowing on my face. He would come out and say, "O cousin of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, what brings you here? What do you need?" I would say, "I have heard a hadith that was narrated to me from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ." He would say, "Why didn't you send for me?" And I would say, "I am more entitled to come to you." So that man remained until the people gathered around me, and he said, "This young man was more intelligent than me."
لَمَّا مَاتَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ قُلْتُ لِرَجُلٍ مِنَ الْأَنْصَارِ «هَلُمَّ يَا فُلَانُ فَلْنَطْلُبِ الْعِلْمَ فَإِنَّ أَصْحَابَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ أَحْيَاءٌ» قَالَ عَجَبًا لَكَ يَا ابْنَ عَبَّاسٍ تَرَى النَّاسَ يَحْتَاجُونَ إِلَيْكَ وَفِي النَّاسِ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ مَنْ فِيهِمْ؟ قَالَ فَتَرَكْتُ ذَاكَ وَأَقْبَلْتُ أَطْلُبُ إِنْ كَانَ الْحَدِيثُ لَيَبْلُغُنِي عَنِ الرَّجُلِ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَدْ سَمِعَهُ مِنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَآتِيهِ فَأَجْلِسُ بِبَابَهُ فَتَسْفِي الرِّيحُ عَلَى وَجْهِي فَيَخْرُجُ إِلَيَّ فَيَقُولُ يَا ابْنَ عَمِّ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ مَا جَاءَ بِكَ؟ مَا حَاجَتُكَ؟ فَأَقُولُ «حَدِيثٌ بَلَغَنِي تَرْوِيهِ عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ» فَيَقُولُ «أَلَا أَرْسَلْتَ إِلَيَّ؟» فَأَقُولُ «أَنَا أَحَقُّ أَنْ آتِيَكَ» قَالَ فَبَقِيَ ذَلِكَ الرَّجُلُ حَتَّى أَنَّ النَّاسَ اجْتَمَعُوا عَلَيَّ فَقَالَ «هَذَا الْفَتَى كَانَ أَعْقَلَ مِنِّي»