It is being humble, to accept and submit oneself to The Truth. The best way of humility is to behave moderately without fawning and being contemptible.
In The Noble Quran and in the hadith of Our Prophet humility is strongly stressed. The following verses are the examples of this:
“And the servants of (Allah) Most Gracious are those who walk on the earth in humility and when the ignorant address them they say "Peace!” (1)
“Muhammad is the Apostle of Allah; and those who are with him are strong against Unbelievers (but) compassionate amongst each other. Thou wilt see them bow and prostrate themselves (in prayer) seeking Grace from Allah and (His) Good Pleasure. On their faces are their marks (being) the traces of their prostration. This is their similitude in the Torah; and their similitude in the Gospel is: like a seed which sends forth its blade then makes it strong; it then becomes thick and it stands on its own stem (filling) the sowers with wonder and delight. As a result it fills the Unbelievers with rage at him. Allah has promised those among them who believe and do righteous deeds Forgiveness and a great Reward.” (2)
The real humility is the knowing of man his place before the Highness of Allah, similar to proportion of zero and endless, and to appropriate this thought and truth to his self. The people who reach this mature understanding are modest and balanced to utmost in their relations with others. Because the ones who knows their situation before Allah are always in balance both in their religious and social life.
Humility which is the opposite of haughtiness and conceit can only be attained by overcoming those two bad habits. To see everybody superior to his -nafs-self , not to belittle anybody by looking his appearance, to sustain an easy and simple life without too much luxury and demonstration , not to expect courtesy from people because of the work and service he perform , are of the basic rules of humility .
Our dear Prophet-May Allah commend and salute him- displayed the most ideal humility in his life. In a way that nobody could do and can not attain although he wants to, Our Prophet lived the most praised humility and modesty. Although he was the most superior of all creatures, the one whose degree and level is the most high and this fact is made known various times in the Noble Quran by his Lord, he never use the privilege of Prophethood among people and try to show himself superior to them.
As he displayed this high moral quality among his family members he never hesitated to make evident this towards His Companions and even to people who didn't become Muslims yet. By this way he helped many people to be guided into the true faith-Islam-.
When Allah The Most High left free him to choice between being a King-Prophet and being a Born servant-Prophet he choose to be a Born servant- Prophet Then The Angel Israfil said to Our Prophet that : “There is no doubt that Allah The Most High gave also that quality to you. You are the Master of all people in the day of Last judgment. The face of the earth will split and people will go out of their graves, you are the one who will intercede first.
After that Our Prophet never ate food while extending him and he said: “I eat my meal as a slave eats his. I sit in the way that a slave sits.”
One day he came near to His Companions leaning on his scepter, The Companions who saw coming of The Apostle of Allah stood up at once. Our Dear Prophet who did not approve this behavior warned them:
“Do not stand up for me just as the other nations do for honoring each other. Because I am a born servant of Allah, who eats like others and who sits like other born servants.”
Our Prophet did not appreciate the ones who wanted to kiss his hand and who showed respect excessively.
During one of his shopping Abu Hureyre was together with him. As Abu Hureyre-May Allah be well pleased with him- communicated, Our Prophet paid more than the value of the clothes that he bought. Then the seller wanted to kiss his hand by holding it. Our Prophet reminded as he was taking his hand a way:
“Persian people do this behavior of you to their kings. I am not a king. I am just a person among you.”
Abu Hureyre added that: “Then he took the clothes. I wanted to carry them. But he addressed me like that: “It is more appropriate for a person to carry his own goods. But if he can not afford, his Muslim brother helps him.”
Our Prophet used to do his works by himself. He didn't want people to serve him.
Amir bin Rebia communicates:
“I was going to mosque together with Our Prophet. On the way, the shoelace of Hadrat Prophet was untied. I wanted to bend down and fasten it at once. But Our Prophet pulling his foot and declared that:
This behavior means to have another person served. I do not like having others served me.
Abdullah bin Abbas communicates sample behavior of Hadrat Prophet:
“Our Prophet didn't let others to prepare the water for his ritual ablution or to give his alms to poor. He used to make his water for ablution ready in person and when he wanted to give of alms to a poor he used to give himself with his hand.”
According to Abdullah bin Jubeyr narrated, one day Our Prophet-May Allah commend and salute him- was going somewhere on foot together with His Companions. Because the weather was so hot one of them lifted his clothe over the head of Our Prophet and wanted to shelter him. When Hadrat Prophet saw this said: “Give up doing this. I am only a human being.” And he took the cloth and descended it.
Our Prophet didn't find suitable people's hesitation and trembling as if he was a king when they saw him and he calmed and relieved them.
When a person came before Hadrat Prophet he started to tremble because of his grandeur of Prophethood. When Our Prophet felt this situation of His Companion he declared: Pull yourself together. I am not a ruler I am just the son of a Qurayshite woman who ate dried salty bread.”
Indeed the people who saw Our Prophet for the first time got exited. But when they saw his compassion and the smile on his face , they felt relieved , when they had conversation with him this excitement turned to be an affection towards him.
Whatever their social position, whether they are rich or poor, a widow or a servant in any situation, Our Prophet-peace be upon him- treated them equally and he belittled nobody because of their simple way of living, poverty or being a servant. He met their needs just he did for others and never become conceited.
Adiy bin Hatim who converted to Islam after he saw the excellent modesty of Our Prophet, communicated his first moments with Hadrat Prophet-May Allah commend and salute him- as follows:
“When I saw his relatives, women and children near The Prophet-peace be upon him-, I realized that there was no ostentation in his life that existed in Persian kings or ceasers. When I was going to his home with The Apostle of Allah, he met an old and thin woman. There was a little child near him. The woman came closer and stopped him. The Prophet stopped and waited.
-We have a wish from you, they said. The Apostle of Allah talked about their needs in details. He went with them came back after he helped them.
I said to myself that “I swear that this person is not a ruler.” Then he led me to his home. He took a cushion made of leather which is filled with date fiber and extended it to me. And he said:
“Please sit on this.” I said:
“No. Please you sit on it.”
He repeated “No you sit down”. I sat down. He himself sat down on the bare earth.
Our Prophet used to look after everybody. He never looked down people. Such that he met the needs of people to whom many people turned a way from. Because the aim of Hadrat Prophet was, guiding people to the right way.
In Medina there was a woman who was foulmouthed, who rebuked and swore at people, and who said hard and rude words. Someday when this woman was passing near of Hadrat Prophet-peace be upon him- . The Apostle of Allah was eating boiled meat by sitting on a stone seat. The woman said: “Let's look this man. He eats like servants do by sitting like them.”
Our Prophet said: “Is there any servant of Allah who is more servant than me.”
The woman said: He eats and doesn't give me.
Our Prophet said: Come on and eat from the food.
The woman said: If you do not give it with your hand I wouldn't eat.
Then Our Prophet gave it her by his hand but this time she said:
“If you do not took out the morsel in your mouth and give me I would not eat”
Then Our Prophet extended the morsel in his mouth to the woman. The woman took and ate it at once. After eating this morsel she became so modest and bashful. She never said bad words to anybody. She became one of the most chaste and good women of Medina .
Adiy bin. Hatim was the son of Hatim-i Tai who was famous with his generosity. Some of his relatives were taken as slaves by Muslim army and he came before Hadrat Prophet as being defeated. Our Prophet led him to sit on a cushion and he himself was sitting on the ground. Also when he was together with a defeated commander of enemies he was meeting the needs of people and didn't neglect them.
For the sake of truth, as he spoke with the simplest people in respect of social standing, he used to speak and meet with everybody including enemies without feeling any need to ostentation and ceremony. By this way he changed the customs and habits that people had used to and put the right and suitable ones instead of them.
Arabs were looking down the slaves and did not regard them as human. They did not sit together with them, walk and eat with them. Our Prophet demolished this habit in person.
As The Companion of Our Prophet communicated, when the slaves invited The Prophet even to eat bread of barley he accepted and ate their meals. Because their being slaves was not a situation that necessitates them to be seen as simple and for being looked down.
When Hadrat Prophet was together with His Companions, he did not distinguish himself from them. He used to act them together, didn't choose a special place for himself, used to sit among them, he partipicated the work they did, helped and supported them.
When the uncle of Our Prophet Hadrat Abbas, said that he was sitting among His Companions in a crowded way and when he was together with them the ones that come and go disturbed him and proposed him to sit in another place by saying:
“O The Apostle of Allah I prepared a place for you from branches that you will sit under its shadow.”
Our Prophet who didn't find proper such a privilege rejected this by saying: “Until the time that Allah will take my soul over, I will endure that My Companions' treading upon on my heels and pulling my jacket”.
During a campaign Our Prophet asked from His Companions to slaughter a sheep and cook it. One of the Companions stepped forward and said:
“O The Apostle of Allah, slaughtering it will be my duty”
Another one cast himself upon:
“O The Apostle of Allah cooking it will be my duty.”
Another Companion sought after the work:
“To skin it will also be my duty....” and they did a partition of work among them.
Our Prophet wanted to participate by saying “Collecting fire wood will be my duty.”
The Companions did not want to accept this.
“O The Apostle of Allah, we also want to do your duty. There is no need for your working.”
Hadrat Prophet declared by showing his unmatched modesty and declared:
“I know that you will also perform my service and be sufficient, but I do not want to be in a privileged position among you. Because Allah does not like to see His born servant as being privileged among his friends.
Before the war of Hendek/trench, while the trenches around Medina were prepared, The Companions of The Prophet were working and trying to finish them as soon as possible. Because they couldn't find anything to eat they wrapped stones on their abdomen to suppress their hunger and swung pickaxe in that way.
The Prophet who is the greatest sample was also using pickaxe without considering himself different, he worked like a worker and he also wrapped stones on his abdomen because of his hunger.
In the construction of Kuba Masjit and in Masjid- i Nebevi in Medina , Our Prophet worked like a worker and carried bricks on his back with His Companions
Wile he was making efforts to make Islam known in all around the world he attained many favors like conquests and victory. But after these victories while he was going into those cities and lands he was never conceited and he was advancing in a great modesty. He was entering to the city in a simple way without feeling any need to ceremony.
When he conquered Hayber which was the greatest castle and place of settlement, Our Prophet entered into the city on a donkey which had a halter made of rope.
Our Prophet was also very modest among his family members and at home. Essentially he was leading a simple life. Time to time he helped to his wives for housework. He used to patch his clothes, when his shoes were torn he used repair tear and he did his works himself. .He used to sweep his house, he tied his camel gave its food, milked the sheep, he was doing shopping and carrying the goods himself. He used to eat together with his servant and kneaded dough with him.
His Companions who took the lessons of ethics from Our Prophet also followed his way in modesty as they did in all matters.
A Compainon who saw Hadrat Omar carrying a water skin on his shoulder asked him: “What is this situation, O the Caliph of The Apostle of Allah.” Hadrat Omar said: Some ambassadors came from foreign countries. I felt something inside me. I wanted to break this feeling.”
Sheikh Sadi says:
O man! Because Allah created you from earth, be humble. Do not be greedy and obstinate like fire and do not destroy the world by fire.
The terrible fire rose and became pointed. But the earth displayed modesty. Because fire rose and became haughty the cursed Satan was created from it. Because earth showed humility Adam-peace be upon him- was created from it. (3)
---------------------------------------------------------------
Chapter Furkān, 25/63.
Chapter Fetih, 48/29.
(3) Bostan and Gulistan, Sheik Sadī Shirazī.