Can Muslims go to church?

Entering a church: what scholars say

There's no verse that forbids simply stepping into a church, so the discussion comes from the early Muslims and later scholars:

• Early example: al-Bukhari records in his chapter on praying in a church that Umar said, "We do not enter your churches because of the statues and pictures," and that Ibn Abbas used to pray in a church unless it had statues in it.
• Hanbali scholars generally allowed entering churches, and even praying in them, especially where there are no images.
• Many Hanafi and some Shafi'i scholars considered it disliked (makruh), mainly because of images and because it's a house of another faith's worship. Maliki scholars also tended to discourage it without a need.

So the main concerns are the images and joining in worship, not the building or the Christians themselves.

Common situations

• Sightseeing: visiting cathedrals in Europe for their history and architecture is allowed by most, outside service times if possible.
• Weddings and funerals: many scholars allow attending to support family and friends. Sit respectfully and don't join the prayers. See Can I attend my non-Muslim grandma's funeral as a Muslim?
• Community events: food banks, concerts, scout meetings or polling stations in a church hall are usually fine, since they aren't worship.
• Festival services: Christmas or Easter services are a separate question, where most scholars advise not attending. See Can I go to church with my family on Christmas Eve as a Muslim?

What to avoid inside

Whatever the reason for your visit, a Muslim doesn't take part in another faith's worship: no taking communion, kneeling or crossing yourself, singing hymns of worship, or saying prayers that contradict tawhid. You can sit or stand quietly, dress modestly and be polite. If you need to pray your own prayer while there, see Can I pray in a church if there's no mosque nearby?

Respect goes both ways

The Quran mentions churches among the places "in which the name of Allah is much mentioned" that should be protected (Quran 22:40), and it asks Muslims to speak to Christians "in a way that is best":

Many converts find that visiting their old church for a family event, calmly and respectfully, reassures their parents that becoming Muslim hasn't made them hostile to their roots.