Explanation of the words of Imam al-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) regarding what he quoted: "

The Shaykh : In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
The author (may Allah have mercy on him) said: "The chapter on one who initiates a good sunnah or a bad sunnah" The author (may Allah have mercy on him) mentioned this chapter after warning against innovations to clarify that some matters have a fixed foundation; if a person performs them and is the first to do so, he is like the one who initiated them, and he receives the reward for it and the reward of everyone who acts upon it until the Day of Resurrection. It has been established for us that the Islamic religion, praise be to Allah, is complete and does not need completion or innovations, because Allah the Exalted said: Then the author cited two verses from the Book of Allah, the first of which is His saying: This is part of what the servants of the Most Merciful supplicate with, whose descriptions Allah mentioned at the end of Surat al-Furqan: until He said:
means: Grant us. And "azwaj" is the plural of "zawj," which is valid for both male and female; thus, a wife is called a "zawj" and a husband is called a "zawj." For this reason, you find in the hadiths that it is narrated from Aisha, the wife of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). This is the standard language where a woman is called a "zawj," but the scholars of inheritance (may Allah have mercy on them) designated "zawj" for the man and "zawjah" for the woman in order to distinguish them when dividing inheritances. However, in the Arabic language, "zawj" is valid for both male and female. So this supplication is valid for men as well as women. "Qurrat al-ayn" (coolness of the eye) in a woman means that when you look at her, she pleases you, and when you are absent from her, she preserves you in your wealth and your children, and when you search for her, you find her obedient to Allah . This pleases her husband. Likewise, offspring, if Allah makes them a coolness of the eye for a person, they obey him when he commands and refrain from what he forbids, they please him on every occasion, and they are righteous. This is part of the coolness of the eye for the righteous. The last phrase: is the evidence for this chapter, meaning: Make us leaders for the righteous, so that the righteous follow us in our actions and words, in what we do and what we leave. The believer, especially the people of knowledge, is followed in their words and actions. For this reason, you find that the common people, when you command them to do something or forbid them from something, say: "So-and-so does such and such," referring to one they have made their leader. The leaders include leaders in religion and leaders in da'wah. Leaders in religion refers to the specific worship of the individual, and leaders in da'wah, teaching, enjoining good and forbidding evil, and other matters of the religion's signs and laws. Make us a leader for the righteous in everything. As for the second verse, Allah the Exalted said: But I wish the author had mentioned the end of the verse, because Allah clarified that He made them leaders because of when they were patient in obedience to Allah, patient in refraining from disobedience to Allah, and patient regarding the decrees of Allah. They were patient in obedience to Allah, so they did what He commanded, and they were patient in refraining from disobedience to Allah, so they left what He forbade, and they were patient regarding the decrees of Allah that come to them because of their calling to the truth, their enjoining of good, and their forbidding of evil. For when a person appoints himself as a caller to the truth, one who enjoins good and forbids evil, he is bound to suffer harm. For most of those who hate the truth will be his enemies, so let him be patient. Likewise, the decrees of Allah that come without this, they are patient with them. By their patience they are certain of what Allah has informed them of, and they are certain of the recompense they receive for performing the commands and leaving the prohibitions, and in calling to Allah, enjoining good, and forbidding evil. That is, they work while being certain of the recompense. This is a point we should be aware of: to work while being certain of the recompense. Many people work, pray, fast, and give charity based on the fact that this is the command of Allah. This is good, and there is no doubt that it is good, but you should realize and keep in mind that you are doing this hoping for reward and fearing punishment, so that you are certain of the Hereafter. By their patience Shaykh al-Islam (may Allah have mercy on him) took a good phrase from this verse and said: "By patience and certainty, you attain leadership in religion" He took it from His saying: So by patience and certainty, you attain leadership in religion. I ask Allah to make me and you leaders in the religion of Allah, guiding the servants of Allah, and being guided. Indeed, He is Generous and Bountiful.