It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that when the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) passed away and the news reached the people of Makkah, Abu Quhafah (may Allah be pleased with him) heard the sound of (people's cries and) alarm. He asked: What is this? The people told him that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) had passed away. He said: This is a tremendous calamity. Who, then, has taken charge of the affair (of the caliphate) after him? They said: Your son. He asked: Have Banu Makhzum and Banu al-Mughirah (such great tribes) accepted this? They said: Yes. Then he said: O Allah, there is none who can bring down what You raise, and none who can raise what You bring down. Then, as the year was nearing its end, Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) passed away. When the news reached the people of Makkah, Abu Quhafah (may Allah be pleased with him) again heard the same sound of alarm and asked: What is this? The people told him that his son had passed away. He said: This too is a great calamity, yet the calamity before it (the passing of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)) was far greater than this. Then he asked: Who has now taken charge after him? The people told him: Umar bin al-Khattab. He said: He was indeed Abu Bakr's true companion. This hadith is sahih (authentic) on the condition of the two Shaykhs (Bukhari and Muslim), but they did not record it. Mention of the virtues of Sayyiduna Nawfal bin al-Harith bin Abd al-Muttalib, of Banu Hashim bin Abd Manaf, whose kunyah was Abu al-Harith after his son al-Harith. He was the oldest of those of Banu Hashim who accepted Islam, older even than his two uncles, Sayyiduna Hamzah and Sayyiduna Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both), and his brothers Rabi'ah, Abu Sufyan and Abd Shams.