Is it safer to submit to coercion or to be patient and not submit?

Question : This is an important question, meaning: is it safer to submit to coercion in the four forms, or is it better to refuse, which is the fifth state and was not mentioned because it is outside the scope of the discussion? In other words, is it preferable to be patient under coercion, even if it leads to being killed, or is it preferable to comply? This involves

Answer : a distinction. If complying with the coercion, even outwardly, necessarily leads to turning away from the path of Allah, then it is not permissible to submit to the coercion, even if one is killed. An example of this is what happened to Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal (may Allah have mercy on him) in the story of the Mihnah (inquisition). Because if he had complied, even by way of figurative interpretation (ta'wil), the people would have gone astray, as the people were waiting to see what Imam Ahmad would say, do you understand? This is a type of jihad, and jihad in the path of Allah is obligatory, because this leads to the revival of the religion and the Sunnah, and it is obligatory. It is not permissible for a person to yield to coercion in this case.
Because pure coercion harms the one being coerced, whereas in this case, the harm is to the religion. If this person’s submission to coercion, even outwardly, necessitates turning people away from the path of Allah, then it is obligatory for him to be patient, even if he is killed, because if he is killed, he is in the path of Allah, like a mujahid (one who fights in the path of Allah). However, if that is not the case, what is better? To yield to the coercion.
The four forms we mentioned, but two of them are excluded by disbelief, or is it better to stand firm? One should look into this. A person may see that his remaining alive is more beneficial for worship, such as a man who has wealth and riches and benefits the servants of Allah with his wealth, or a man who has knowledge and benefits people with his knowledge. In this case, it is preferable to yield to the coercion and intend thereby that it is for Allah the Exalted. But if he is from the general public, this is a matter for consideration. He currently has a dispensation (rukhsah) to do what he is coerced into without his heart being at peace with disbelief.