Forbidden to Enter Churches, Synagogues, Temples

 بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

يا نبي سلام عليك

In the Name of Allah, the Rahman, the Merciful

Peace be upon you, O Prophet

Islam is a conservative religion whose spirit is one of jealousy and zeal for our God and our Prophet, peace be upon him.

It is disturbing how many Muslims fail to understand this critical point. The liberal and permissive energy found among Muslims today is due to a combination of factors; among them is a State sponsored narrative that trickles down through figures on the government payroll lacking integrity and honor. 

One instance of this liberal, permissive attitude of a growing number of Muslims is the issue of entering places of worship of the false religions.

In the name of interfaith dialogue and reconciliation we are seeing Muslims casually enter the places of worship of the false religions, meaning, Christian churches, Jewish synagogues and Hindu, Buddhist and Sikh temples. Others from our community are entering these places for sight-seeing, out of curiosity and most concerning of all, to demonstrate their liberalism and so-called “open mindedness”.

This is part of a broader trend where it is no longer taboo in many Muslim societies for people of our community to enter evil places where sinful activity takes place. Nowadays there is a proliferation of nightclubs, bars, cinemas, beaches and public swimming pools in the Muslim world, including and especially in Saudi Arabia.

Meanwhile, the mosques are desolate but the shopping centers filled beyond capacity, whereas my master, the holy Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, said:

 أَحَبُّ الْبِلاَدِ إِلَى اللَّهِ مَسَاجِدُهَا وَأَبْغَضُ الْبِلاَدِ إِلَى اللَّهِ أَسْوَاقُهَا

“The most beloved of the land to Allah are its mosques and the most hated of the land to Allah are its marketplaces” (Sahih Muslim)

What then is compelling our people to avoid the mosque while eagerly wishing to visit churches and temples of the false religions? This is a particularly grave matter since in our time those Muslims who enter such evil places of idolatry and unbelief do not reckon that their being there is contrary to the teachings of Islam. It is shocking that even some of our clergy have no problem entering a church or synagogue to participate in some interfaith dialogue or conference. Whereas the correct and righteous attitude is to boycott every place of evil and sin and to have ghayrah (jealousy, zeal, honor) for one’s own God and one’s own Faith.

According to our illustrious Hanafi school:

وَفِي التَّتَارْخَانِيَّة يُكْرَهُ لِلْمُسْلِمِ الدُّخُولُ فِي الْبِيعَةِ وَالْكَنِيسَةِ وَإِنَّمَا يُكْرَهُ مِنْ حَيْثُ إنَّهُ مَجْمَعُ الشَّيَاطِينِ لَا مِنْ حَيْثُ إنَّهُ لَيْسَ لَهُ حَقُّ الدُّخُولِ اهـ قَالَ فِي الْبَحْرِ وَالظَّاهِرُ أَنَّهَا تَحْرِيمِيَّةٌ لِأَنَّهَا الْمُرَادَةُ عِنْدَ إطْلَاقِهِمْ وَقَدْ أَفْتَيْت بِتَعْزِيرِ مُسْلِمٍ لَازَمَ الْكَنِيسَةَ مَعَ الْيَهُودِ اهـ فَإِذَا حَرُمَ الدُّخُولُ فَالصَّلَاةُ أَوْلَى وَبِهِ ظَهَرَ جَهْلُ مَنْ يَدْخُلُهَا لِأَجْلِ الصَّلَاةِ فِيهَا

“In the Tatar Khaniyyah, it is stated that it is makruh for a Muslim to enter a synagogue or a church. This is considered makruh because such places are gathering spots for devils, not because a Muslim lacks the right to enter them. In al-Bahr, the author notes that the apparent is that it is tahrim (prohibitively disliked)—as this is the standard implication when jurists use the term makruh without qualification—adding that he once issued a fatwa mandating ta’zir (discretionary punishment) for a Muslim who habitually frequented a synagogue alongside Jews. If merely entering such places is prohibited, then performing Salah within them is even more strictly forbidden. This highlights the ignorance of those who enter these places for the purpose of performing Salah.” (Radd ul-Muhtar, Dar ul-Fikr, v.1, p.410)

Sayyidina Umar al-Faruq, may Allah be pleased with him, is reported to have said:

إِنَّا لاَ نَدْخُلُ كَنَائِسَكُمْ مِنْ أَجْلِ التَّمَاثِيلِ الَّتِي فِيهَا الصُّوَرُ

“We do not enter your churches because of the images contained therein.” (Sahih al-Bukhari)

There is no doubt that it is prohibited to enter a church or temple due to the presence therein of idols, statues, icons and images. However, this does not mean that it is permissible for a Muslim to enter synagogues, which generally do not contain idols or images, or even a church that does not contain icons or images. This is the ruling of our Hanafi school, though other schools may permit entering a place of worship of another religion such as a church or synagogue which do not contain images.

Followers of the other schools, however, should exercise caution and avoid entering any church, synagogue or temple. It is always better to err on the side of caution. My master, the holy Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, said:

الْحَلاَلُ بَيِّنٌ وَالْحَرَامُ بَيِّنٌ وَبَيْنَهُمَا مُشَبَّهَاتٌ لاَ يَعْلَمُهَا كَثِيرٌ مِنَ النَّاسِ فَمَنِ اتَّقَى الْمُشَبَّهَاتِ اسْتَبْرَأَ لِدِيِنِهِ وَعِرْضِهِ

“The halal is clear and the haram is clear, but between them are the mushabbahat (doubtful matters) that most of the people have no knowledge of. So whoever, out of taqwa, saves himself from the mushabbahat has protected his Faith and his honor.” (Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim)

In other words, in those grey matters in which there is an apparent difference of opinion, it is an expression of taqwa to avoid them even if one is erring on the side of caution. What then is the need for a Muslim to enter a church, synagogue or temple? These are places of false worship, of idolatry, where the devils and demons have gathered to lead the people astray. Have Muslims of our time become so carefree and unrestrained that they feel they can go anywhere they please? We have come to know of incidents where a Church invited a group of Muslims to establish their Salat ul-Jumu’ah in their place of worship and the Muslims foolishly, shamelessly and dishonorably accepted.