O Allah, treat harshly those who rule over my nation with harshness and treat gently those who rule over my nation with gentleness
Authentic hadithعن عائشة رضي الله عنها قَالَتْ: سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللهِ -صَلّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وسَلَّم- يقُولُ في بيتي هَذَا: «اللهم من وَلِيَ من أمر أمتي شيئًا فَشَقَّ عليهم، فَاشْقُقْ عليه، ومن وَلِيَ من أمر أمتي شيئًا فَرَفَقَ بهم، فَارْفُقْ به».
‘Ā'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) reported: I heard the Messenger (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) saying in my house: "O Allah, treat harshly those who rule over my nation with harshness and treat gently those who rule over my nation with gentleness."
Explanation
This Hadīth stresses the immense importance of sovereignty. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) supplicated to Allah to treat harshly those who acquire a status of sovereignty over Muslims and treat them harshly. In contrast, he supplicated to Allah to treat gently those who treat their Muslim subjects justly, gently, and mercifully. In short, actions have consequences.
Source · Narrated by Muslim
From the Hadith Encyclopedia (hadeethenc.com).