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Fatwa CenterEntering the church to offer condolences
Question
A muslim friend of mine visited a church recently to pay respects to a neighbour whose husband had died. The neighbour was n the church together with her husband's remains. Is it against Islam to visit a church, even for this purpose?
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger. We ask Allaah to exalt his mention as well as that of his family and all his companions.
It is not permissible to enter the church for the purpose of expressing condolences, because entering the church while the dead is there, is a kind of participating with the Christians in their prayers and things which are from their rituals. This is also a kind of participating in a funeral of a non-Muslim and standing in respect for it. Furthermore, a group of scholars
are of the view that it is not permissible in principle to offer condolences to a non-Muslim, and that it is not permissible to enter a church because of the pictures and statutes which it contains.
For more benefit, please refer to Fatwa 88767 on the limits of relationship between a Muslim and a non-Muslim.
Allaah Knows best.
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