Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that during the days of the Messenger of Allah’s (peace and blessings be upon him) final illness, one day Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) came out from his presence. The people asked: O Abu al-Hasan! How is the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)? He replied: All praise is due to Allah, he is better. Upon hearing this, Sayyiduna Abbas bin Abdul Muttalib (may Allah be pleased with him) took his hand and said: Do you not see? By Allah! The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) will pass away in this illness of his. I recognize the faces of the sons of Abdul Muttalib before death befalls them—what their condition is. Come, let us go to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and ask him about this matter (of caliphate). If it is our right, we will know it, and if it concerns someone else, we will ask about it, so that he (peace and blessings be upon him) may make a will in our favor. Upon hearing this, Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said: If we ask him (peace and blessings be upon him) about this and he deprives us of it, then people will never give us this right. Therefore, by Allah! I will not ask him (peace and blessings be upon him) anything about this.