Abu Wa'il states: I, a companion of mine and Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) were on the journey of Hajj. Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) kept reciting Surah al-Nur and explaining it. My companion said (in amazement): Subhan Allah! What a spring (of knowledge) is gushing from this man's mind! If the Turks heard this, they would surely accept Islam. This hadith has a sahih (authentic) chain of narration, but the two Shaykhs (Bukhari and Muslim) did not record it.

It is narrated from Abu Salih that he said: I witnessed a gathering of Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) such that if all of Quraysh were to take pride in it, it would be a source of pride for them. I saw the people gather in such numbers that the road became congested and there was no room for anyone to come or go. The narrator says: I went in to him and told him that the people had gathered at his door. He said to me: "Place water for ablution for me." Then he performed ablution and sat down, and said to me: "Go out and tell them: Whoever wishes to ask about the Qur'an, its letters (modes of recitation) and its meanings, let him come in." I went out and informed them, and they came in until the house and the room were full. Whatever they asked him about, he told them about it and added as much again or more. Then he said: "(Now) give your brothers (the other people) a chance." So they went out. Then he said: "Go out and say: Whoever wishes to ask about the tafsir or interpretation of the Qur'an, let him come in." I went and informed them, and they came in and the house and the room were full. Whatever they asked about, he answered it and added more to it. Then he said: "(Now) give your brothers a chance." So they left. Then he said: "Go out and say: Whoever wishes to ask about the lawful and the unlawful and fiqh, let him come in." I went and told them, and they came in and the house was full. Whatever they asked about, he told them about it and added as much again. Then he said: "Give your brothers a chance." So they went out. Then he said to me: "Go out and say: Whoever wishes to ask about the fara'id (the laws of inheritance) and similar matters, let him come in." I went and informed them, and they came in and the house and the room were full. Whatever they asked about, he answered and added as much again. Then he said: "Give your brothers a chance." So they left. Then he said to me: "Go out and say: Whoever wishes to ask about the Arabic language, poetry and the rare (unusual) words of speech, let him come in." They came in and the house and the room were full. Whatever they asked about, he answered and added as much again. Abu Salih says: If all of Quraysh were to take pride in this, it would (truly) be a matter of pride, and I have never seen such a (gathering of knowledge) for any person.

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.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) that Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) used to ask me scholarly questions in the presence of the other eminent Companions of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). Sayyiduna Abd al-Rahman bin Awf (may Allah be pleased with him) said to him (objecting): "You ask him questions, while we too have sons like him (meaning he is still young)?" At this Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "He is of those whose scholarly standing you know well." Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) says: Then Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) asked them all about this saying of Allah Almighty: "When the help of Allah and the victory come" [Surah al-Nasr: 1] . I said: "It refers to the approach of the time of the death of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) (which is announced in this surah)," and I recited the whole surah up to "Indeed, He is ever accepting of repentance." Then Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "By Allah! I know nothing more about this surah than what you know." This hadith is sahih (authentic) on the condition of the two Shaykhs (Bukhari and Muslim), but they did not record it.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) that whenever Sayyiduna Umar bin al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) invited the senior Companions of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), he would call me along with them. One day, or one night, he called us and said: "You know what the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said about Laylat al-Qadr: 'Seek it in the last ten nights.' So which of the odd nights do you think it may be?" Some said: the ninth night; some said the seventh, someone the fifth, and someone the third. Then he asked me: "O Ibn Abbas! Why do you not speak?" I said: "If you permit me, I will speak." He said: "I called you only so that you would speak." I asked: "Shall I give my own opinion?" He said: "It is your opinion that I am asking you for." So I said: "I have seen that Allah Almighty has given great importance to the number seven: He made the heavens seven and the earths seven, and (in mentioning the vegetation of the earth) He said: 'Then We split the earth, splitting it (26) and caused to grow in it grain (27) and grapes and herbage (28) and olives and date palms (29) and gardens of dense trees (30) and fruit and fodder' [Surah Abasa: 26 - 31] . By 'hada'iq' (gardens) is meant every tree that intertwines with others until it becomes a garden, and by 'abb' is meant the vegetation that grows from the earth which people do not eat (but which is fodder)." Then Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said (to the other Companions): "Were you unable to say something like what this young man has said, the sutures of whose skull have not yet fully joined?" Then he said to me: "I had (previously) forbidden you to speak, but now whenever I invite you along with them, you must speak." This hadith has a sahih (authentic) chain of narration, but the two Shaykhs (Bukhari and Muslim) did not record it.

Imam al-Zuhri states that the Muhajirun said to Sayyiduna Umar bin al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him): "Invite our sons (to the gathering) as you invite Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both)." He said: "He is a youth with the maturity of the middle-aged; he has a tongue that asks much and a heart that understands well."

Ibrahim bin Ikrimah bin Huyayy states: I, Huyayy bin Ya'la and Sa'id bin Jubayr used to go to Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both). I would ask him about genealogies, Huyayy would ask him about the famous battles (Ayyam) of the Arabs, and Sa'id bin Jubayr would ask him about legal rulings, and it felt as though we were drawing from a boundless ocean.

Abdullah bin Shaddad states that Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) said: "O Ibn Shaddad! Are you not amazed? A servant boy came to me when I had lain down for the midday rest (qaylulah) and said that a man was at the door asking permission to enter. I said (to myself) that only some need would have brought him at this hour; let him in. He came in and said: Will you not tell me about that man? I asked: Which man? He said: Ali bin Abi Talib. I asked: About which matter of his? He said: When will he be raised (brought back to life)? I said: Subhan Allah! He will be raised when those in the graves are raised. Then he said: I see you saying just what these fools say. At that I said: Put him out of my presence, and let him never come to me again, or else I will beat him." This chain of narration is sahih (authentic) on the condition of the two Shaykhs (Bukhari and Muslim).

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both); he said: I was sitting with Sayyiduna Umar bin al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) when a letter came to him with the news that such-and-such a number of the people of Kufah had recited (memorised) the Qur'an. So he proclaimed the greatness of Allah (out of joy). I said: "Will they differ among themselves?" He said (with displeasure): "Shame! How would you know that?" Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) said: I became angry (at his rebuke) and went home. Then a little later he sent for me, and I made an excuse, but he said: "I urge you strongly to come without fail." So I came to him, and he said: "You said something." I said: I seek forgiveness from Allah, and I will not say such a thing again. He said: "I insist that you repeat to me what you said." I said: (The letter) said that so many people had recited the Qur'an, and I said that they will differ. He asked: "On what basis did you come to know that?" I said: I have read this verse: "And among the people is he whose speech pleases you in the life of this world, and he calls Allah to witness what is in his heart", until I reached the verse: "And Allah does not love corruption." [Surah al-Baqarah: 204 - 205] So when they (the hypocrites) do that, the person of the Qur'an (the sincere believer) will not be able to keep silent. Then I recited these verses: "And when it is said to him, 'Fear Allah', his pride drives him to sin. So Hell is sufficient for him, and what an evil resting place it is. And among the people is he who sells himself seeking the pleasure of Allah, and Allah is Most Kind to His servants." [Surah al-Baqarah: 206 - 207] Then Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "You have spoken the truth, by the One in whose Hand is my soul (this is indeed the reality)." This hadith is sahih (authentic) on the condition of the two Shaykhs (Bukhari and Muslim).