How do we reconcile Abu Hurayra's narration regarding Abu Talib's being condemned to hell, with the fact that Abu Talib's death preceded Abu Hurayra's conversion to Islam by eleven years?

There is no contradiction between Abu Hurairah's narration of Abu Talib's refusal to declare the two testimonies of faith (Shahadatain) and Abu Hurairah's late conversion to Islam, for the Companions narrated the Prophet's (peace be upon him) hadiths that occurred both before and after their conversion. The fact that Abu Talib did not embrace Islam was not narrated by Abu Hurairah alone, but by many Companions who were in Mecca at that time. It is reported in the Two Sahihs (Bukhari and Muslim) that the Prophet (peace be upon him) tried to instruct Abu Talib to say the Shahadah at the time of his death, but Abu Jahl and Ibn Abi Umayyah diverted him from doing so. Then the verse prohibiting seeking forgiveness for idolaters was revealed. Abu Talib's not embracing Islam was known and regretted by the Companions. Al-Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) mentioned this to the Prophet (peace be upon him), and the Prophet informed him that he was in a shallow part of the Fire, and were it not for him, he would have been in the lowest depth of it.