(529) بَابُ: كَيْفَ أَصْبَحْتَ؟
It is related from Ka'b ibn Malik, who was one of the three towhom Allah turned that Ibn 'Abbas informed him that 'Ali ibn Abi Talibemerged from the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant himpeace, in his illness from which he died and the people said, "O Abu'l-Hasan!How is the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace,this morning?" He said, "Praise be to Allah, he is well this morning."'Abbas ibn 'Abdu'l-Muttalib took him by the hand and said to him, "By Allah,in three days time you will be a subject. By Allah, I think that the Messengerof Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, will die of this illness.I recognise death in the faces of the Banu Abdu'l-Muttalib when they aredying. Let us go to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and granthim peace, and ask him who will have this authority. If it is for us, thenwe will know that, and if it is for other than us, we will know it andhe can advise him to look after us." 'Ali replied, "By Allah, if we askhim for it and he refuses us, then the people would never give it to usafterwards. By Allah, I will not ask it from the Messenger of Allah."
Reference: Al-Adab Al-Mufrad 1130
In-book reference: Book 45, Hadith 14
English translation: Book 45, Hadith 1130