It was narrated that Ibn 'Abbas said: When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) died and Abu Bakr was appointed as caliph, al-'Abbas disputed with ‘Ali concerning some things that the Messenger of Allah: had left behind. Abu Bakr said: It is something that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) left the way it is and I am not going to introduce any changes to it. When 'Umar was appointed as caliph, they referred the dispute to him and he said: It is something that Abu Bakr did not change and I am not going to change it. When 'Uthman was appointed as caliph, they referred the dispute to him and ‘Uthman remained quiet and lowered his head. Ibn 'Abbas said: I was afraid that he (‘Uthman) would take it back so I struck al-'Abbas between his shoulders and said: O my father, I insist that you give it to 'Ali. So he gave it to him.
