Exegesis of the saying of Allah the Exalted: “Except for one who is coerced and whose heart is at rest in faith”

Question:
Honorable Shaykh, may Allah grant you success. He says: It is difficult for me to understand the statement that coercion in the saying of Allah the Exalted includes both speech and action, because it is general. He says this in conjunction with the hadith “I cut or burned.”

Answer:
It is by speech. It is by speech. As for action, this is not permissible. Associating partners with Allah by action is not permissible. One slaughters for other than Allah. The story of the two who passed by an idol; no one passed by it without bringing it an offering. They said to one of them, “Bring an offering.” He said, “I will never bring an offering to anyone other than Allah,” so they killed him. They said to the other, “Bring an offering.” He said, “I have nothing.” They said, “Bring an offering, even if it is a fly.” So he brought a fly and entered the Fire. Action is not excused in this.