What is the ruling on marrying a Kitabiyyah (a woman from the People of the Book) in this era, and are the Christians and Jews of this era considered People of the Book or polytheists?

It is permissible to marry a chaste Jewish or Christian woman, and this is the view of the majority of scholars. They cite the Almighty's saying: (and [lawful for you are] the chaste women from among the believers and the chaste women from among those who were given the Scripture before you) Al-Ma'idah/5. Although the People of the Book are disbelievers and polytheists, the permissibility of marrying their women is a specific exception to the general prohibition against marrying polytheist women. Nevertheless, it is preferable and better not to marry them in this era, out of fear of temptation and the children being influenced by their religion, unless there is an urgent necessity, along with striving to invite them to Islam.