Ruling on renting churches
Question

                In many parts of the USA, the Muslims
      cannot find any suitable place to perform salaat al-jumu’ah (Friday prayers) except
      in some churches where they are able to rent space cheaply or for free. But some students
      have stirred up a controversy as to whether it is correct to offer salaah in churches,
      because of the report from Ibn ‘Umar about preventing people from praying in
      churches, synagogues, graveyards and places where sacrifices are made to other than
      Allaah. On this basis, some of the Muslims have stopped coming to Jumu’ah prayers.
      Could you please tell us the correct ruling on this matter, so that we may resolve the
      differences between the Muslims in this community?  Jazaakum Allaahu khayran (may Allaah
      reward you with good).
Praise be to Allah.If it is possible to find an alternative place in which to pray, then it
    is not permitted to pray in churches and similar places, because these are the places of
    worship of the kuffaar, where they worship other than Allaah, and because of the statues
    and pictures that they contain. (But if it is not possible to find anywhere else, it is
    permissible to pray in them, out of necessity). ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with
    him) said: “We do not enter your churches because of the statues and pictures that
    are in them.” Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with them both) used to pray in
    churches except for those in which there were statues and pictures. (Reported by
    al-Bukhaari, 1/112)