The Ruling on Praying in Churches and Its Analogy to the Mosque of Harm

Question:
Honorable Shaykh, may Allah preserve you. Permission was given to the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) to pray in a church, and it is said that 'Umar prayed in the church of Bayt al-Maqdis. Is praying in churches for Allah the Exalted not similar to praying in the Mosque of Harm, or to slaughtering for Allah in a place where slaughter is performed for other than Allah? I ask for clarification of this issue.

Answer:
No, this is not like that, because the People of the Book are upon a religious foundation, upon the foundation of the religion of Musa or 'Isa (peace be upon him). So we consider their original state to be a valid place of worship, so praying in them does not harm, because the Companions prayed in them. Just as the Christians prayed in the mosque of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) when they came from Najran. These are houses of worship, whose original purpose is worship of Allah the Exalted, not built for gatherings or for shrines or for idols. Their original purpose is that they were built for the worship of Allah the Exalted. The original ruling is that they are valid, . This is the original ruling regarding them. As for 'Umar praying in the church, I do not know about that. I know that 'Umar prayed on a Thursday.