Sheikh Ahmad Kutty, a senior lecturer and Islamic scholar at the Islamic Institute of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, states: “There is nothing wrong for Muslims in praying in a chapel, for we learn from the seerah (biography) of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that during the entire Makkan period, he and his Companions used to pray in the Haram of Makkah which had been occupied by idols and statues. If prayer had been considered invalid in the vicinity of a sanctuary with statues and idols, then certainly the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and his Companions would not have done so.
Furthermore, we are not responsible for the pictures hanging on the walls of churches or temples; nor are we supposed to interfere with the worship places of others. Therefore, if we have no choice but to pray in a church, there is nothing wrong with our Prayers. But we must avoid praying directly facing a statue or picture or a cross should we have a choice to do so; if such things happen to be facing us in Prayer, it is best that we place something as a barrier between us and them in order to avoid the impression of praying towards them.”