Al-Shaʿbī and others report that after the Battle of the Camel, ʿAlī—may Allah be pleased with him—stayed in Basra for fifty nights. He then set out for Kufa, leaving Ibn ʿAbbās in charge of Basra and sending al-Ashʿtar at the head of his vanguard toward Kufa. A man caught up with the column and asked, “Whom has the Commander of the Believers appointed over Basra?” Al-Ashʿtar replied, “His cousin.” The man retorted, “Then why did we kill the old man in Medina yesterday?”

Ibn ʿAbbās remained governor of Basra until the march to Ṣiffīn. When he departed he put Abū al-Aswad in charge of the congregational prayer and Ziyād over the treasury.

I say: When ʿAlī first received the pledge of allegiance he said to Ibn ʿAbbās, “Go and take up the governorship of Syria.” Ibn ʿAbbās answered, “No. The very least Muʿāwiyah would do to me—if he did not kill me outright—is imprison me. Rather, keep him in office for now; you can dismiss him later at your discretion.” ʿAlī did not accept this counsel.

Likewise, on the Day of Arbitration Ibn ʿAbbās advised ʿAlī not to appoint Abū Mūsā, saying, “Put me in charge, or at least appoint al-Aḥnaf.” ʿAlī intended to do so, but others overruled him.

Abū ʿUbaydah, in his listing of ʿAlī’s commanders at Ṣiffīn, states: “The left wing was under Ibn ʿAbbās, after which he was returned to the governorship of Basra.”

Among the lines attributed to Ḥassān—may Allah be pleased with him—are:

When Ibn ʿAbbās’ face presents itself to you,
You behold in every utterance of his pure excellence.

When he speaks, he leaves no word for another speaker,
With seamless strings of phrases that show no gap.

He satisfies and heals the hearts, leaving
No one—earnest or jesting—anything to add.

You rose to the heights without hardship,
Attaining their summits, neither lowly nor excessive.

You were created a companion of nobility and generosity,
Eloquent—never dull, never confused. (1)