Rihanna sparks controversy with photoshoot at Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
Thamer Al Subaihi
October 20, 2013 Updated: October 20, 2013 21:05:00
Abu Dhabi - Superstar singer Rihanna is no stranger to sparking controversy – and her visit to the UAE is no exception.
The Bajan star visited Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque and posed for photographs some have deemed “disrespectful” at a place of worship.
Dressed in an all-black outfit that covered her arms, legs and hair, the Umbrella singer is seen pouting and lying down in the courtyard in the shots, which appeared on her Instagram account.
The images attracted condemnation and praise from fans.
One Twitter user, @NNTSHA_NAT, wrote: “I love Rihanna but then posing so seductively in front of the mosque is so disrespectful.”
Another tweeter, @Ahmedcarter, wrote: “Rihanna pics at Sheikh Zayed mosque are disrespectful to the place of worship.”
@BinttAlthee tweeted: “Rihanna modelling in the Sheikh Zayed mosque is just plain wrong. Who let her in?”
Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque is the largest in the country and a popular tourist attraction that welcomes millions of visitors each year.
The mosque is open to non-Muslims but the body in charge, the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Centre, ask visitors to respect religious sensitivities.
This includes women wearing an abaya and shayla, which Rihanna did not do.
“Rihanna may look gorgeous and all but she’s covering her head out of fashion not out of respect for the mosque,” wrote @NAUF_z.
But many fans backed the star, who visited the mosque on Saturday ahead of her gig at du Arena on Yas Island.
“I don’t see how Rihanna posing adjacent to a mosque in Abu Dhabi is disrespectful. If anything she’s showing respect by supporting the hijab,” wrote @mila_iggy.
Twitter user @TheDimeRamla619 also found nothing wrong with the photographs, tweeting: “I have nothing against Rihanna, I mean the mosque in Abu Dhabi is a tourist place so therefore I don’t see nothing wrong.”
User @NurulxxNisyaa wrote: “I totally respect Rihanna, though it’s not her religion she still wear a hijab to the mosque.”
Rihanna is not the first western performer to upset locals during a visit. Rapper Snoop Dogg, now called by Snoop Lion, was criticised for wearing a kandura on stage in 2011.
