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:
He (may Allah have mercy on him) stated in what he quoted regarding the matter of women: that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: : By this, he means women. It is said: "A slave of Allah" just as it is said "A servant of Allah," and it is said: "The maids of Allah" just as it is said "The servants of Allah." From that is the authentic hadith: .
He forbade them from beating women, so they refrained from it, because the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) were of the first class and the preferred generation, who, when called to Allah and His Messenger, said: "We hear and we obey." So they refrained from beating women. Women are deficient in intellect and religion, deficient in intellect and religion. They became insolent toward their husbands, as 'Umar ibn al-Khattab said: : Meaning they became insolent and arrogant toward men. When the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) saw what 'Umar said, when he heard what 'Umar said, he permitted the beating of them. So the men went to excess in that, and they began to beat them even when it was not their right to do so. So the women went around the family of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), meaning his houses, and they gathered around the houses of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) complaining about their husbands. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, addressing the people: : They are not the best of them: Meaning they are not the best of men. This is like his saying: : This indicates that a person should not go to excess nor be deficient in beating his family. If a cause necessitating beating is found, there is no harm.
And Allah (Mighty and Majestic) clarified the levels of that in His Book, saying: .
The third level: beating. And if you beat them, let it be a beating that does not cause harm.
Then the author mentioned the hadith of 'Abd Allah ibn 'Amr ibn al-'As: that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: , : Meaning something one enjoys, just as a traveler enjoys his provisions and then it ends.
And if she is righteous in intellect as well, then she manages his affairs with good management in his home and in the upbringing of his children. If he looks at her, it pleases him. If he is absent from her, she protects him. If he entrusts his children to her, she does not betray him. This woman is the best commodity of the world. For this reason, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: : Meaning, hold on to her, for she is the best person for a man to marry. The one with religion, even if she is not beautiful in appearance, but her character and religion beautify her. So hold on to the one with religion, and may your hands be rubbed in the dust. And success is from Allah.