488 — Al-Mufaddal ibn Ghassān reported to me, saying: My father reported to me, saying: Abū Umar al-Qurashī al-Makkī reported to me, saying:

“A group of Quraysh set out intending to visit one of the caliphs in Syria. They passed near Abū Bakr ibn Abd al-Rahmān ibn al-Hārith ibn Hishām and said, ‘Why do we not turn aside to visit Abū Bakr?’ They did so, and he prevailed upon them to stay. He then sent them a cloth bundle containing so much money that several men were needed to carry it, and said, ‘Had we possessed more than this, we would have sent it to you.’

“When they saw it, they said, ‘We have no need to continue our intended journey; this is enough for us.’ They departed, but none of his servants or retainers approached to help them prepare to leave. When they bade him farewell, they said, ‘We have seen such kindness, hospitality, and generosity from you that we were greatly impressed. Yet when we were preparing to leave, we noticed something of which we disapproved: not one of your servants or retainers approached to help us prepare for departure, so we had to undertake it ourselves.’

“He laughed and said, ‘They never help anyone with

1 - leaving us.’”