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Thinking of church as house of worship does not require expiation

Question

Assalaamu alaykum wa rahmatullaah wa barakaatuhu. I was reading the newspaper, and there was an article about a woman who did some moral crime in the parking lot of a church. While reading that, I made a shocked face and thought: they do not respect their churches. I was thinking that what she did was more terrible because she did it near a 'place of worship'. Right after that, however, I remembered that churches are not actually considered good places/places of worship in our religion. Should I offer an expiation for what I did, or is there no blame upon me here because I acted out of forgetfulness? I was fasting that day; is my fast for that day valid, or do I have to repeat it?

Answer

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) is His slave and Messenger.

There is no doubt that your fast was valid, and you are neither sinful nor have to offer any expiation.

It seems that your question is a result of Waswaas (obsessive whisperings); if this is the case, then we warn you against Waswaas and against getting carried away with it as this leads to a great evil.

Allah knows best.

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