Sayyiduna Nu'man bin Bashir (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Retaliation is only with iron."
Hadith Referenceالسنن الكبرى للبيهقي / كتاب الجنايات / 16088
Al-Hasan (may Allah have mercy on him) said that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Retaliation is only with the sword." Yunus said: I asked al-Hasan (may Allah have mercy on him): From whom did you hear this hadith? He replied: From Nu'man bin Bashir (may Allah be pleased with him).
Hadith Referenceالسنن الكبرى للبيهقي / كتاب الجنايات / 16089
It has also been narrated from Mubarak bin Fadalah, through al-Hasan (may Allah have mercy on him), from Sayyiduna Abu Bakrah (may Allah be pleased with him) as a marfu' report, that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Retaliation is only with the sword."
Hadith Referenceالسنن الكبرى للبيهقي / كتاب الجنايات / 16090
Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) said that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Retaliation is only with the sword."
Hadith Referenceالسنن الكبرى للبيهقي / كتاب الجنايات / 16091
This narration is also reported through Abu Mu'adh (Sulayman bin Arqam), that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Retaliation is only with the sword."
The chains of these narrations are not established. Mu'alla bin Hilal al-Tahhan is matruk (abandoned), Sulayman bin Arqam is da'if (weak), Mubarak bin Fadalah is not taken as evidence, and Jabir bin Yazid al-Ju'fi is criticised.
Hadith Referenceالسنن الكبرى للبيهقي / كتاب الجنايات / 16092