The Peak of Eloquence · Hadith 1530 (#Passage #339)
Chapter 53 | Instructions for Malik al-Ashtar upon his appointment as the governor of Egypt
إِيَّاكَ وَالدَّمَاءَ وَسَفْكَهَا بِغَيْرِ حِلِّهَا، فَإِنَّهُ لَيْسَ شَيْءٌ أَدْعَى لِنِقْمَةٍ، وَلَا أَعْظَمَ لِتَبِعَةٍ، وَلَا أَحْرَى بِزَوَالِ نِعْمَةٍ، وَانْقِطَاعِ مُدَّةٍ، مِنْ سَفْكِ الدِّمَاءِ بِغَيْرِ حَقِّهَا، وَاللهُ سُبْحَانَهُ مُبْتَدِئٌ بِالْحُكْمِ بَيْنَ الْعِبَادِ، فِيمَا تَسَافَكُوا مِنَ الدِّمَاءِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ، فَلَا تُقَوِّيَنَّ سُلْطَانَكَ بِسَفْكِ دَمٍ حَرَامٍ، فَإِنَّ ذَلِكَ مِمَّا يُضْعِفُهُ وَيُوهِنُهُ، بَلْ يُزيِلُهُ وَيَنْقُلُهُ.
You should avoid shedding blood without justification, because nothing is more inviting of Divine retribution, greater in (evil) consequence, and more effective in the decline of prosperity and cutting short of life than the shedding of blood without justification. On the Day of Judgement Allāh the Glorified, would commence giving His judgement among the people with the cases of bloodshed committed by them. Therefore, do not strengthen your authority by shedding prohibited blood because this will weaken and lower the authority, moreover destroy it and shift it.
Gradings are classical jarḥ-wa-taʿdīl, name-matched to a rijāl index (not individually re-verified).