A fully covered Rihanna is more offensive than a naked one, at least when it comes to her new Instagram photos. The Grammy-winning songstress has been asked to leave the Sheikh Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi on Saturday after “suggestively” posing for pictures outside the sacred mosque.

The 25-year-old Barbadian singer was in the United Arab Emirates capital on Saturday as part of her Diamonds World Tour. And although she followed the strict dress code for women in the country, wearing a black jumpsuit that covered even her arms and legs with a hoodie for her hair, she still managed to act inappropriately by staging a suggestive photo shoot outside the Muslim place of worship without a permit.

The mosque, one of the largest in the world, is open to non-Muslims, though visitors are asked to respect the religious sanctity of the place.

However, Rihanna’s poses for her photo shoot outside the mosque were deemed “disrespectful” and inappropriate for a place of worship. She was then escorted out of the premises.

The administrators of the mosque did not name her when they confirmed reports that a “singer” was asked to leave the area, though the media quickly deduced that it was indeed Rihanna as she was the only one who had a concert in the city.

Also, Rihanna posted the photos herself on Instagram.

“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 civilisation and tolerant attributes of Islam. Usually, the visitors are appreciative of that,” the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Centre said in a statement obtained by The National.

“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.

“She was directed by visitors services to proceed to the visitors’ main gate and take the guided tour, according to procedure. She 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.”

Commenters on Rihanna’s photos on Instagram were divided on her being asked to leave the mosque. While there are those who defended the music star, there are also those who passionately objected to what she had done.

“disrespectful indeed! she’s in a mosque... a sacred place for muslims... a place where muslims come to pray... you wouldn’t do this in your own church, would you? this is the height of ignorance!” (sic) Instagram user misjenna414 wrote.

“I’d always loved your provocation & your rudeness, but what you’re doing now is absolutely disgusting. Something like you has nothing to do with religion – you’re definitely lost,” ajluff added.

“Look everyone, I think that as long as she is not interfering, it is fine! It’s not like she told the Muslims they couldn’t pray,” josieandtango wrote.”@badgalriri is not a disgrace at all, it is just that the Muslims created such beautiful places that she wanted to visit them. I think. And she is covered, respecting their laws.”

Rihanna isn’t stranger to controversies when using social media sites. Just a few days before this latest incident, her Twitter posts led to the arrest of a bar owner in Thailand for running sex shows on stage.

She had also inadvertently helped Thai authorities arrest two individuals for possession of protected animals after posting Instagram photos of her with a slow loris in September.

Here are Rihanna’s controversial photos outside the mosque:

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