Did the world's raunchiest pop star REALLY think she'd get away with posing outside a MOSQUE? How Rihanna was asked to leave Abu Dhabi place of worship after taking 'inappropriate' pictures
- The singer posed for photos outside the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
- She is known for tight revealing outfits but wore a black jumpsuit
- Mosque issued a statement involving 'recent incident with a singer'
- Bajan singer deferred guided tour and left after taking photos outside
- One user tweeted photos are 'disrespectful to the place of worship'
- While another wrote on Twitter: 'modelling in mosque is just plain wrong'
- Rhianna has not commented following Saturday's incident
By JILL REILLY
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Staff at Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque say they asked the singer to leave the compound after her actions were considered to be at odds with the 'sanctity' of the site.
Photos posted on her Instagram account at the weekend show the 25-year-old posing on white marble wearing a head-to-toe hooded black jumpsuit.
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Order: Popstar Rihanna was asked to leave an Abu Dhabi mosque because she didn’t have permission for a photoshoot, according to reports
Spot the difference: Rihanna poses in her hijab as two local women walk past behind her
She is known for her raunchy outfits so the photoshoot was deemed conservative for the Bajan singer, although she made sure she had bright red lipstick and large gold accessories.
But today it emerged that Rhianna and her team was not given permission to take photos at the mosque, the main place of worship for Friday gathering and Eid prayers.
The mosque, which is the largest in the UAE and can hold more than 40,000 people, released a statement, and although it does not name Rhianna, it refers to a 'recent incident, involving a singer.'
'In the event of behaviour that violates the moral codes of access to the mosque, or other visit regulations – such as taking inappropriate pictures, posing in ways that are improper in the context of sacred place, talking loudly, or eating – the violators are directed in a polite manner that reflects the civilisational and tolerant attributes of Islam,' the statement read.
Still glamorous: The singer wore crimson lips and dark red fingernails, and added a statement gold necklace as she posed with a hoodie covering her head
Strike a pose: Rihanna made sure to turn her outing into a fashion shoot as she posed dramatically outside the Muslim place of worship
Fitting in: The singer paid heed to the dress requirements in the Middle Eastern city, where local women tend to cover up their bodies
'Here, the Centre refers to a recent incident, involving a singer who came for a private visit to the mosque, at a gate that is not reserved for visitors, without prior coordination with the Centre’s management and without identifying herself,' it said reported The National.
It said the singer 'left without entering the mosque, after being asked to do so, due to the fact that she had taken some pictures that do not conform with the conditions and regulations put in place by the Centre’s management to regulate visits in a way that takes the status and sanctity of the mosque into consideration.'
Many of her fans attacked the singer for the photos which have since appeared on websites across the world.
'Rihanna may look gorgeous and all but she’s covering her head out of fashion not out of respect for the mosque,' wrote one user.
Sultry: Rihanna sat on the marbled floor outside the mosque at one point and pouted while looking into the distance
Is that entirely respectful? The singer takes a break on the floor
The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque is the largest mosque in the UAE which can hold more than 40,000 people
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?'
On Instagram user msloca89 wrote under a photo of the singer: 'This is very disrespectful even if she is covered she is not suppose to take photos in the mosque. I don't think you would like to see a naked person taking photos in a church as well.'
While EmilyNovember wrote: 'Are these photos serious? I can't believe she is this wrapped up into her own 'looks' that she poses at a place like this. A place which represents the opposite of what she represents.'
Cultural expert Ali Al Saloom, the founder of AskAli.com, added: 'I feel disappointed that she shared photos on Instagram that are inappropriate to the values of our religion and our Arab tradition, which values modesty and respect to the most important venue that has our father of the nation HH Sheikh Zayed’s graveyard. A mosque is not to be seen as a fun place, nor is it a place for filming fashion,' reported7DaysinDubai.
Nasif Kayed from the Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Understanding said: 'In all of the pics she is dressed from head to toe.
'What is offensive about them? I’m sure that she was given the permission to be photographed in the manner in which she was. While each and all has their own opinion, in my opinion nothing in the photos is offensive.'
@mila_iggy responded to the images writing: '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.'
Everyday attire: Rihanna usually leaves little to the imagination in skin-revealing ensembles, pictured in New York recently
Not going so well: Fans were allegedly upset by her performance in Johannesburg on Sunday, claiming she lip-synched, pictured Thursday in concert in Cape Town
Rihanna hasn't publicly responded to the actions by staff at the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque which is a major tourist site in the United Arab Emirates' capital.
Earlier this year Madonna, was criticised for adopting Muslim clothing after being pictured wearing a chainmail mask resembling a niqab.
Rihanna is currently on her Diamonds world tour, having just arrived in the country after playing shows in South Africa.
Her fans in Johannesburg were reportedly outraged at her performance on Sunday night.
They complained that her alleged lip-synching and lacklustre performance wasn't worth the high price of the concert ticket, according to RadarOnline.
Johannesburg's main newspaper The Star ran Ri-Ri Rip-Off on its front page on Monday, calling her performance 'below-par'.
'It was obvious,' the paper's staff photographer Sharon Seretlo said of RiRi’s purported lip-synching. 'You know when someone is lip-synching. I was in the Golden Circle [close to the stage]. I could see it.'
'I don’t feel the ticket prices were fair considering the level of performance,' fan Nicole Contini added.
Earlier this year Madonna, was criticised for adopting Muslim clothing after being pictured wearing a chainmail mask resembling a niqab
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2470040/Rihanna-asked-leave-Abu-Dhabi-mosque.html#ixzz2iMTwJ2cP
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