It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) that he said: When the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) passed away, I said to a man from the Ansar: O so-and-so! Come, let us seek (knowledge), for today the Companions of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) are (in great numbers) alive. He said: How strange you are, O Ibn Abbas! Do you think that people will be in need of you while among the people there are the (senior) Companions of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) who are present?! (Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) says:) I left him and devoted myself to seeking (knowledge). If I learned that a Companion had heard a hadith from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), I would go to his door and (out of regard for his rest, instead of knocking) sit there, and the wind would blow dust onto my face until he came out. Seeing me, he would say: O cousin of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)! What brings you here? What do you need? I would say: A hadith has reached me that you narrate from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). He would say: "Why did you not send word to me (so I could have come myself)?" I would say: "I am more deserving of coming to you myself." Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) says: That Ansari man lived on until he saw the people gathering around me (for knowledge), and he said: This young man was wiser than I was. This hadith is sahih (authentic) on the condition of Imam Bukhari, but the two Shaykhs did not record it.

It is narrated from Ikrimah that during the time of Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) some people apostatised, and he burned them with fire. When this news reached Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both), he said: "If I had been in his place, I would have killed them (with the sword), because of the saying of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him): 'Whoever changes his religion, kill him,' and I would never have burned them with fire, because I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) say: 'Do not punish with the punishment of Allah (fire).'" When this was conveyed to Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him), he said (marvelling at the insight of Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both)): "May good come to Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) (or: Ibn Abbas has spoken the truth)." This hadith is sahih (authentic) on the condition of Imam Bukhari, but the two Shaykhs did not record it.