Indeed, there will be trials. There will come a trial in which the one sitting in it will be better than the one walking towards it, and the one walking towards it will be better than the one rushing to it

Informing about the occurrence of trials is meant to warn against them, so that people may prepare themselves, avoid getting involved, and ask Allah for patience and safety from their evil.
An-Nawawi said: His statement (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him): (The one sitting among them is better than the one standing) and so on, means to highlight the great danger of these trials, to encourage avoiding and fleeing from them, and that their harm and turmoil will be proportionate to one's involvement in them.
An-Nawawi said: The sin is lifted from the one who is coerced into being present there. However, killing is not permitted under coercion; rather, the one who is coerced to commit the act of killing bears the sin by the consensus of scholars.
Ibn Hajar said: Others said: If a group rebels against the ruler, refusing to fulfill their obligations and initiating war, then fighting them becomes obligatory. Similarly, if two groups of Muslims fight each other, it is incumbent upon anyone capable of restraining the wrongdoer and supporting the one on the right. This is the view of the majority of scholars. Others have provided an elaboration, stating: Any fighting between two groups of Muslims in the absence of a unified ruler for the community is prohibited. The Hadīths related to this matter and others should be applied in this context.
An-Nawawi said: Scholars have differed regarding fighting during times of trials. One group stated: One should not fight in such times when there are trials among Muslims, even if others enter his home and seek to kill him; defending oneself is not permissible because the aggressor might be acting based on an interpretation. This was the view of the Companion Abu Bakrah (may Allah be pleased with him) and others. Ibn ‘Umar, ‘Imrān ibn Husayn (may Allah be pleased with them), and others said: One should not participate in the Fitnah (trial) but may defend himself if directly attacked. These two views agree on avoiding involvement in all the trials of Islam. However, the majority of the Companions, the Tābi‘is, and the majority of the Muslim scholars said: It is obligatory to support the one on the right during such trials and to fight against the aggressors, as Allah Almighty says: {Fight against the transgressing group until they submit to the rule of Allah}. This is the correct view. The Hadīths forbidding participation are understood to apply to those who are unclear about who is on the right, or to two unjust groups, with neither having a valid justification.