Question: What is the ruling on going inside the church to view it?
Shaikh: “How many times will you pass in it?”
Questioner: Once or twice?
Shaikh: “If you will pass by it once or twice with the purpose of learning a lesson [by seeing it] then that is fine. Otherwise it is not…”
[al-Mutafariqaat no. 82]
Translated by
Faisal Ibn Abdul Qaadir Ibn Hassan
Abu Sulaymaan
Assalamu ‘Alaikum akhi,
The noble Sheikh (Rahimahullah) used the word “pass by it”. Does that, mean that a Muslim is only allowed to pass by it once or twice with the intention of viewing it or can he go inside with the same intention?
Please clarify this issue.
JazakAllahu Khairan.
Alayka Salam Akhi,
It seems the Shaikh intends that one can pass through it once or twice with the same intention of learning a lesson. The Shaikh rahihamullah said himself in another fatwa:
“If he enters it [the church] once or twice with this intention then there is no harm. However, if he takes that as a custom, then that is not allowed…”
[Silsilatul Huda wan-Nur no. 212]
And Allah knows Best
Translator
Faisal Ibn Abdul Qaadir Ibn Hassan
Abu Sulaymaan
Okay okay.
That helps me, Alhamdolillah.
JazakAllahu Khairan.
Wa iyyaka Akhi