Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah 35130 — What the imam instructs governors

Abu Firas (may Allah have mercy on him) said that Sayyiduna Umar bin al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) delivered a sermon and said: "Listen! By Allah, I have not sent governors to you so that they may beat you and seize your wealth. Rather, I have sent them to you so that they may teach you your religion and the Sunnah of your Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). Anyone who is treated in any other way, let him bring the matter before me. By the One in whose hand is my soul, I will surely exact retaliation for him." At this Sayyiduna Amr bin al-As (may Allah be pleased with him) stood up and said: "O Commander of the Faithful, what is your view: if a man from among the Muslims is in authority over a group, and he disciplines one of his subjects, would you exact retaliation from him as well?" He (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "Yes! By the One in whose hand is the soul of Umar, retaliation will surely be exacted from him as well. How could I not exact retaliation from him, when I have seen the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) offering retaliation against himself? Listen! Do not beat the Muslims and thereby humiliate them. Do not withhold their rights from them and thereby drive them to ingratitude. Do not hold them on the frontiers, keeping them from returning home, and thereby put them to trial. And do not settle them in places of dense thickets, so that they scatter and you thereby cause them to be lost."