Social media users slam Rihanna’s visit to Shaikh Zayed Mosque

The recent visit of American singer Rihanna to Shaikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi drew a lot of flak especially from social media websites with people denouncing her visit when she took improper photos at the sacred place. Rihanna was in the UAE as part of her “Diamonds” world tour.

A hashtag page was consequently created under the headline ‘Rihanna profanes the Shaikh Zayed mosque’ where many Twitter and Instagram account holders have slammed the singer’s visit to the sacred site.

However, not all opinions and posts on the singer’s visit were similar. To the singer’s credit, some people commented that the singer was seen wearing a headwear (scarf) which covered her head and a narrow trouser. They said she took photos posing in ways that are improper in the context of a sacred place, in the peripheral yard of the mosque. Yet the photos showed that she was standing in the inner compound of the mosque.

Meanwhile, many people posted messages on Twitter affirming that it is easy to take photos from outside the mosque territory since the mosque is very spacious and can be accessed from any corner, but the Shaikh Zayed Mosque’s centre had earlier marked some specified entrance for visitors.

However, Twitter holders tweeted that the gown the woman was dressed in was covering her body than many Muslim women who turn up at Shaikh Zayed grand mosque, while others believed that the hashtag page had unnecessarily triggered a controversy and asked to hold responsible the person behind the page, saying Emirati people do not accept mischief.

Prominent Emirati singer Ahlam harshly slammed the singer on her own Instagram page.
Some people commented on the dress Rihanna was wearing and that it might have been designed to comply with the Islamic dress, and pointed out that Rihanna released a new fashion design which a lot of Muslim women may copy.

Rihanna published the photos she took at the Shaikh Zayed Grand Mosque on her Instagram page as part of photos she took during her world tour including her visit to Abu Dhabi where she performed at Yas Island a couple of days ago.

For its part, the Shaikh Zayed Grand mosque’s centre clarified that the centre opens its door to visitors of various nationalities as part of its cultural activities whether they come in official groups or as individuals to recognise and get familiar with the Islamic art treasures.

Commenting on the US singer’s visit, the centre management said the singer’s visit to the mosque was a private one and was without any prior coordination or contact with the centre management. She even did not introduce herself to the centre staff and entered the mosque through a gate that is not reserved for visitors, without prior coordination with the centre’s management and without identifying herself.”

She was asked by the mosque attendants, who offer help to visitors, to move to the entrance dedicated to visiting the mosque and make her tour as per the mosque’s rules.

The singer after she was advised to adhere to the rules by the centre’s staff then left the mosque before entering it as she took some photos which were against the rules and regulations set down by the centre’s management regarding the mosque’s sanctity and stature.

news@khaleejtimes.com

• UAE