Yoosuf ibn al-Husayn was an imaam of his time. There was no-one from the scholars like him in terms of humbling and belittling himself.
Category: Sincerity
My soul has become proud
My soul has become proud, and I wanted to humble it.
The best of actions
The best of actions [are those that] oppose personal desire.
The mere sight of him would awaken sadness in my heart
Whenever I looked at al-Fudhayl [ibn ’Iyaadh], [the mere sight of him] would awaken sadness [in my heart], [causing me to] despise myself, and then weep.
A man whose heart fills with emotion at the remembrance of the dead
They are all his family, and his brothers; he is a man whose heart fills with emotion at the remembrance of the dead, whenever he feels hardness [in his heart].
Washing the bodies of the dead in preparation for burial
[In preparation for their burial], al-Muzanee would wash the dead as an act of worship, and he would say…
He was the most humblest of all the people
He would teach the people and have them read the Qur.aan to him. And when they would finish, he would [turn to] occupy himself in prayer.
Practice patience
There is no aid other than [from] Allaah, and no guide other than the Messenger of Allaah, and no provision other than taqwa, and no act [to be undertaken] other than [to remain] patient upon it.
Distinguished character
Ahmad ibn Hanbal was extremely shy and modest, and of distinguished character, and liked [being] overly generous.
Pious companions
ar-Rabee’ [ibn Khuthaym] was the most pious of the companions of ‘Abdullaah.