The Peak of Eloquence · Hadith 1495 (#Passage #304)

وَإِنَّ أَفْضَلَ قُرَّةِ عَيْنِ الْوُلَاةِ اسْتِقَامَةُ الْعَدْلِ فِي الْبِلَادِ، وَظُهُورُ مَوَدَّةِ الرَّعِيَّةِ، وَإِنَّهُ لَا تَظْهَرُ مَوَدَّتُهُمْ إِلَّا بِسَلَامَةِ صُدُورِهِمْ، وَلَا تَصِحُّ نَصِيحَتُهُمْ إِلَّا بِحِيطَتِهِمْ عَلَى وُلَاةِ أُمُورِهِمْ [الْأُمُورِ]، وَقِلَّةِ اسْتِثْقَالِ دُوَلِهِمْ، وَتَرْكِ اسْتِبْطَاءِ انْقِطَاعِ مُدَّتِهِمْ. فَافْسَحْ فِي آمَالِهِمْ، وَوَاصِلْ فِي حُسْنِ الثَّنَاءِ عَلَيْهِمْ، وَتَعْدِيدِ مَا أَبْلَى ذَوُو الْبَلَاءِ مِنْهُمْ، فَإِنَّ كَثْرَةَ الذِّكْرِ لِحُسْنِ أَفْعَالِهِمْ تَهُزُّ الشُّجَاعَ، وَتُحَرِّضُ النَّاكِلَ، إِنْ شَاءَ اللهُ.

The most pleasant thing for the rulers is the establishment of justice in their areas and the manifestation of the love of their subjects, but the subjects’ love manifests itself only when their hearts are clean. Their good wishes prove correct only when they surround their commanders (to protect them). Do not regard their positions to be a burden over them and do not keep watching for the end of their tenure. Therefore, be broad-minded in regard to their desires, continue praising them and recounting the good deeds of those who have shown such deeds, because the mention of good actions shakes the brave and rouses the weak, if Allāh so wills.

Gradings are classical jarḥ-wa-taʿdīl, name-matched to a rijāl index (not individually re-verified).