The kind of modesty that Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) possessed was exemplary. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was so modest to the extent that people will literally seek him in a crowd. He preferred to cover himself between the people preferring not to stand out to be noticed by everyone. This sometime created problems to those who would come to a place purposely to seek him out. This is how he reacted to a man looking for him:
Narrated by Abdullah ibn ash-Shikhkhir: I went with a deputation of Banu Amir to the apostle of Allah(God) and we said: "You are the one of us most endowed with excellence and superiority." The Prophet(pbuh) replied: "Say what you have to say, or part of what you have to say, and do not let the devil make you his agents." ( Hadith, Abu Dawud )
The Prophet(pbuh) thinks that being associated with such high sounding characteristics does not make one modestly appreciated. Rather associating with those superlatives only signal pride and arrogance for which he did not want to be associated with.
There are also several verses in the Quran that teach people how to be modest:
"And the servants of the Beneficent Allah(God) are they who walk on the earth in humbleness, and when the ignorant address them, they say: Peace. " (Quran: 25/63)
The modisty of the Prophet(pbuh) was quite natural and free from all pretensions. People normally show their pride by boasting when they gain victories against their enemies in battle or when they achieve something really great and glorious. But the Prophet(pbuh) behaved naturally in all circumstances.
After the Prophet(pbuh) entered Meccah victorious, instead of punishing his previous enemies he told them: "Go, you are free." . He was natural and in his usual form when he was misbehaved by the people of Ta'if and when he suffered a setback in the battle of Uhud.
He was the same humble man when he was entering the city of Meccah as its conqueror at the head of ten thousand victorious soldiers of Islam. He did not show any pride in any way. Instead, he was an epitome of modesty as would be portrayed in his subsequent speeches.
( pbuh = peace be upon him )
