Rihanna is no stranger to controversy. During her trip to Abu Dhabi, the pop star was asked to leave a mosque after she posed for photos inappropriately on its grounds.
While in town for her “Diamonds World Tour,” the “Stay” singer visited the courtyard of the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Center and conducted a photo shoot. The landmark mosque did not approve of the images, which were later posted on her Instagram account.
“She was asked to leave before entering the actual mosque, (she was in the courtyard taking pictures) after taking some photos that did not fit within the rules and regulations set out to preserve the sacredness of the center,” the mosque said in a statement.
Although she was completely covered up, with only her face, hands, and fingernails visible, Rihanna was in a part of the mosque that is not open to visitors and the photo shoot was not in accordance with the “status and sanctity of the mosque.”
One commenter on Instagram blasted her visit, writing, “Leave our holy place and keep your filth away from it. We don’t need you.”
On Tuesday, Rihanna is scheduled to perform at the Yehoshua Gardens Park in Tel Aviv, Israel.
See the photos that sparked the controversy below.
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