Sahih Adab al-Mufrad

864/1130 (Sahih) From Ibn Abbas: That Ali ibn Abi Talib, may Allah be pleased with him, came out from the presence of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, during his illness in which he passed away. The people said: O Abu al-Hasan! How did the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, wake up this morning? He said: "He woke up, by the praise of Allah, recovering." He said: Then Abbas ibn Abd al-Muttalib took him by the hand and said: Do you see? By Allah, after three days you will be a subject of the staff, and by Allah, I see that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, will pass away in this illness of his; I know the faces of the sons of Abd al-Muttalib at death. So let us go to the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, and ask him about whom this matter (leadership) will be. If it is among us, we will know that, and if it is among others, we will speak to him, so that he may advise regarding us. Ali said: By Allah, if we ask him and he withholds it from us, the people will never give it to us after him, and by Allah, I will never ask the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, about it ever.