Is what is recited in churches considered a remembrance of God, necessitating caution in dealing with them, and are they houses of God, based on the verse: "And were it not that God checks the people, some by means of others, there would surely have been pulled down monasteries, churches, synagogues, and mosques in which the name of God is much remembered"? (Al-Hajj: 40)

After the prophethood of Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, churches and synagogues ceased to be houses of God; rather, they became houses of polytheism and disbelief. What is recited within them is not the remembrance of God, but rather that which displeases Him. The mentioned verse does not indicate an honoring of these houses like mosques. Instead, its meaning is that God prescribed Jihad to prevent the people of polytheism from dominating the people of faith, and that the places of worship mentioned were houses of God before their inhabitants distorted their religion and disbelieved. Were it not for God repelling people, some by others, these places of worship would have been destroyed in the times of various prophets. Thus, Jihad is an ancient command for the preservation of religions. Whoever believes that churches are houses of God or that what Jews and Christians do therein is worship of God is a disbeliever. Muslims believe that they are houses of Satan, but this does not prevent fulfilling covenants with the People of the Book and not interfering with their places of worship, as long as they fulfill their covenant.