Hakam bin A'raj says that once I presented myself before Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both), he was sitting near the well of Zamzam, reclining on his cloak. I also went and sat with him; he was the best of companions. I said to him, "Tell me something about the Day of Ashura." He said, "In what regard are you asking about it?" I said, "Regarding fasting, that is, on which day should I fast?" He said, "When you see the crescent of Muharram, keep counting its days. When the morning of the ninth day comes, then fast." I asked, "Did the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) fast in this manner?" He said, "Yes."

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "For any one of you to present his land to his brother as a gift is better than that he should take a specified rent from him for it."

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) that the husband of Sayyidah Barirah (may Allah be pleased with her) was a black Abyssinian slave whose name was Mughith. I used to see him following Sayyidah Barirah (may Allah be pleased with her) in the streets of Madinah, and his tears were flowing down his beard. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) made four decisions regarding Sayyidah Barirah (may Allah be pleased with her). The masters of Sayyidah Barirah (may Allah be pleased with her) had made her sale conditional upon retaining the right of wala’ (allegiance) for themselves. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) decided that "Wala’ is the right of the one who sets free." The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) gave her the choice after emancipation, and she chose herself, and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) ordered her to observe the waiting period (‘iddah). And once, someone gave something in charity to Sayyidah Barirah (may Allah be pleased with her), and she sent a portion of it as a gift to Sayyidah Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her). She mentioned this to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), so he said: "It is charity for her and a gift for us." (Because the ownership had changed.)

Once, Sayyiduna Umar Farooq (may Allah be pleased with him) asked: Who knows about Laylat al-Qadr, when does it occur? Upon this, Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) said that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Laylat al-Qadr is in the last ten nights of Ramadan, either after seven nights have passed (the twenty-seventh night) or when seven nights remain (the twenty-third night)."

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) that one day the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) climbed Mount Safa and, according to the custom of that time, called out «يا صباحاه» to gather the people. When the people of Quraysh had gathered, they asked, "What is the matter?" The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Tell me, if I inform you that an enemy is about to attack you in the morning or evening, would you believe me?" All of them said, "Why not?" The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Then I warn you of a severe punishment before it comes." Abu Lahab said, "Did you gather us for this? May you perish (God forbid)." Upon this, Surah Lahab was revealed.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) that once the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) ate meat with bone and then performed prayer, and he did not even touch water.

Abu Nadrah (may Allah have mercy on him) says that once, while delivering a sermon from the pulpit of the central mosque of Basra, Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said:“Every prophet had at least one supplication that was certainly fulfilled for him in this world, but I have reserved my supplication for the intercession of my Ummah on the Day of Resurrection. I will be the leader of all the children of Adam on the Day of Resurrection, and I do not boast about it. I will be the first person for whom the earth will be split open, and I do not boast about it. The banner of praise (Liwa’ al-Hamd) will be in my hand, and I do not boast about it. Adam (peace be upon him) and everyone else will be under my banner, and I do not boast about it.

The Day of Resurrection will seem very long to the people. They will say to one another: ‘Come, let us go to Adam (peace be upon him), he is the father of mankind, so that he may intercede for us before our Lord so that He may begin our reckoning.’ So all the people will come to Adam (peace be upon him) and say: ‘O Adam! Are you not the one whom Allah created with His own blessed hand, settled in His Paradise, commanded His angels to prostrate to you? Intercede for us before your Lord so that He may begin our reckoning.’ He will say: ‘I am not fit for this task. Because of one mistake, I was expelled from Paradise. Today, I am only concerned about myself. However, go to Noah (peace be upon him), who is the root of all the prophets.’

So all creation and all mankind will come to Noah (peace be upon him) and say: ‘O Noah! Intercede for us before our Lord so that He may begin our reckoning.’ He will say: ‘I am not fit for this task. I made a supplication because of which the people of the earth were drowned. Today, I am only concerned about myself. However, go to Khalilullah Ibrahim (peace be upon him).’

So all the people will come to Ibrahim (peace be upon him) and say: ‘O Ibrahim! Intercede for us before our Lord so that He may begin our reckoning.’ He will say: ‘I am not fit for this task. During the time of Islam, I spoke three ambiguous words, by Allah, I only meant the religion (by them): (First, when I said I am sick; second, when I said the big idol broke the rest; and third, when I called my wife my sister before the king). Today, I am only concerned about myself. However, go to Musa (peace be upon him), whom Allah chose for His message and to speak to Him.’

Now all the people will come to Musa (peace be upon him) and say: ‘O Musa! Are you not the one whom Allah chose for His message and spoke to directly? Intercede for us before your Lord so that He may begin our reckoning.’ He will say: ‘I am not fit for this task. I killed a person without any soul being taken in exchange. Today, I am only concerned about myself. However, go to Isa (peace be upon him), who is the Spirit of Allah and His Word.’

So all the people will go to Isa (peace be upon him) and say: ‘Intercede for us before your Lord so that He may begin our reckoning.’ He will say: ‘I am not fit for this task. People took me as a deity besides Allah. Today, I am only concerned about myself. But tell me, if something is in a vessel that is sealed, can what is inside be obtained without breaking the seal?’ The people will say: ‘No.’ Upon this, Isa (peace be upon him) will say: ‘Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) is the seal of all the prophets. Today, he is present here, and all his past and future sins have been forgiven (so go to him).’”

The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:“Then they will all come to me and say: ‘O Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him)! Intercede for us before your Lord so that He may begin our reckoning.’ The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) will say: ‘Yes! I am fit for this.’ Until Allah gives permission to whomever He wills and is pleased with. When Allah intends to decide among His creation, a caller will announce: ‘Where is Ahmad (peace and blessings be upon him) and his Ummah?’ We came last but will be first. We are the last Ummah but the first to be reckoned, and all the other nations will make way for us, and we will proceed with radiant foreheads due to the traces of ablution. The other nations, seeing this, will say: ‘All the people of this Ummah seem to be prophets.’

Anyway, I will reach the gate of Paradise, take hold of its ring, and knock. From inside, it will be asked: ‘Who are you?’ I will say: ‘I am Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him).’ So the door will be opened. I will present myself before my Lord, Who will be seated on His Throne. I will fall in prostration before Him and praise Him in such a way that no one before me has praised Him like that, nor will anyone after me. Then it will be said to me: ‘O Muhammad! Raise your head. Ask, and you will be given. Speak, and you will be heard. Intercede, and your intercession will be accepted.’ I will raise my head and say: ‘My Lord! My Ummah, my Ummah.’ It will be said: ‘Whoever has faith in his heart equal to a certain weight (the narrator could not remember the exact amount), take him out of Hell.’ After doing so, I will return again and prostrate before Allah and praise Him as before, and after the same question and answer, it will be said to me: ‘Whoever has faith in his heart equal to a certain weight (less than before), take him out of Hell.’ The third time, it will be the same.”

Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) narrates that once I was sleeping in the month of Ramadan, in a dream someone said to me that tonight is the Night of Qadr. I woke up, at that time I was overcome by drowsiness, so to drive it away I held onto a pole of the tent of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). Then I went to the service of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and he was praying. When I paid attention, it was the twenty-third night.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) that when the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) arrived in Madinah, he found that the people there conducted transactions of dates on credit. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Whoever does a Salam sale in dates should specify its measure and specify its weight."

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) that once the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) came out of the toilet, and food was brought to him. Someone said, "O Messenger of Allah, will you not perform ablution?" He replied, "I have been commanded to perform ablution only when I intend to pray."