Looks like Rihanna won't be welcomed back to Abu Dhabi
any time soon. The pop star has apparently upset authorities with her
impromptu photoshoot at Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in the UAE capital.
A statement by the Grand Mosque's spokesperson has revealed that 'a prominent singer' was asked to leave the premises due to posing for 'indecent pictures'.
While the statement did not name Rihanna specifically, it was posted in the wake of her visit, She was requested to leave after making indecent pictures which did not match the sacred status of the mosque.
It also mentioned that the singer 'entered through a gate not designated for visitors' and that she left before entering the mosque itself.
During her trip to the UAE for a show on Yas Island, Rihanna posted a series of images on her Instagram account showing her posing outside the mosque in a conservative black jumpsuit and head covering.
Though some found the 25-year-old's photoshoot tasteful, others found them to be disrespectful, taking to social media to express their frustrations.
Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque is a popular tourist attraction that is open to non-Muslims, however visitors are requested to respect religious and cultural sensitivities.
In a statement posted on its website, the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Centre said: "The singer entered on a private visit without introducing herself and without prior coordination with the adminstration.
"She was asked to leave before entering the mosque after she posed in ways that do not match the sacred status" of the complex, the statement said.
The centre said it worked to ensure that no visitor "fails to meet the standards of decency required to enter the mosque, such as by posing for inappropriate photographs or by sitting in disrespectful positions."
The pictures sparked controversy among fans on Rihanna's Instagram account.
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