It is narrated from Urwah that when the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) set out for the Battle of Hunayn, he (peace and blessings be upon him) appointed Sayyiduna Mu'adh bin Jabal (may Allah be pleased with him) as his deputy over the people of Makkah, and the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) ordered him to teach the people the Qur'an and to give them understanding of the religion. Then the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) returned to Madinah that same year and left Mu'adh bin Jabal (may Allah be pleased with him) behind there to teach the people of Makkah.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) that Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) passed by Mu'adh bin Jabal (may Allah be pleased with him) while he was weeping. He asked: "Why are you weeping?" He said: "Because of a hadith I heard from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him): 'Indeed, even the least degree of showing off is shirk, and the most beloved of servants to Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, are those who are God-fearing and remain unknown; who, when they are absent, are not sought, and when they are present, are not recognised. They are the leaders of guidance and the lamps of knowledge.'" This hadith has a sahih (authentic) chain, but the two Shaykhs did not record it.