The principle of husn adh-dhun, or assuming good about your Muslims brothers, is a very important principle. One classic example of this relates to takfir; if a Muslim makes a statement which can be interpreted in more than one way, one of which entails shirk, but which has other meanings that do not entail shirk, we assume about them that they mean it in the best possible way until proven otherwise.

This husn adh-dhun is a protection against evils like suspicion, which can easily lead to unnecessary conflict and division among the Muslims.

یَـٰۤأَیُّهَا ٱلَّذِینَ ءَامَنُوا۟ ٱجۡتَنِبُوا۟ كَثِیرࣰا مِّنَ ٱلظَّنِّ إِنَّ بَعۡضَ ٱلظَّنِّ إِثۡمࣱۖ

O you who have believed, avoid much [negative] assumption. Indeed, some assumption is sin.

49:12

Likewise, many times when it comes to issues of ikhtilaf, we are reminded that there can be two different views on an issue, and that both may be correct. We are reminded that differences of opinion are a mercy, and that this can be flexibility in Islam which makes matters easier for us.

When we apply this principle to Muslims who hold deviant ideologies, you could go and express this principle in just about any masjid in the Muslim world or in the West and you wouldn’t meet a lot of opposition.

If you try to apply the exact same principles, however, to the actions and views of the mujahideen; the view on striking strategic targets containing non-combatants; the view on istishhadi attacks; views on takfir, then all of the husn adh-dhun disappears in the blink of an eye.

Imagine if we had the same tolerance for jihad in our time that we do for bid’ah, shirk, and kufr! The fact that we are willing to have so much patience with deficits in aqeeda, yet so little tolerance when it comes to differences of fiqh is indicative of a couple of underlying problems.

First, obviously, no one wants to face the hardship of being associated with Islamic political movements. Categorically condemning all efforts to establish Islamic political autonomy is one way to remain in the favor of the governments in the West and their allies who rule over the Muslim lands.

Secondly, many of us have been affected by an attitude of placing life in a higher position than religion. This attitude is an outgrowth of secularism, which is built on the premise that religious truths cannot be known with certainty, and as such, all different views and opinions should be tolerated.

As such, differences of opinion that threaten life are seen as unacceptable, but those that threaten the religion are treated lightly. This is an inverted view, since Allah subhanahu wa t’ala said:

وَٱلۡفِتۡنَةُ أَشَدُّ مِنَ ٱلۡقَتۡلِۚ

And fitna is worse than killing

2:191

Preserving life is indeed a high and noble goal, but the preservation of religion is higher and more noble, because the purpose of our life is to worship Allah. Jihad itself is an act of worship and one which is essential to the preservation of the religion, so we should take great care when it comes to words or actions that could obstruct the path to jihad for the sake of preserving life.