Rihanna criticised for using Islamic Hadith during fashion show
Rihanna has been criticised for using a song that contains a narration of the Islamic Hadith during her recent Savage X Fenty fashion show.
Taking place on Friday (October 2), there was a point in the singer’s show where Rico Nasty was introduced while a track called ‘Doom’ played in the background.
Created by a London-based producer Coucou Chloe, the track remixes audio that features a Hadith which talks about the signs of the Judgment Day and the end of times.
rihanna has used music where a hadith is being used as lyrics for her fenty LINGERIE show. this is very disrespectful and should be apologised for. if this was a bible verse the world would have erupted. please share pic.twitter.com/wAiyLQuNCT
— ⚡️playboi fardi ? (@balaayo4) October 5, 2020
Hadiths are sacred texts in Islam, which represent the sayings of the Prophet Muhammad.
All Muslims are said to recognise the importance of the texts, with Metro describing them as “a source of guidance for Muslims in their daily lives.”
Coming under fire for her decision to use the track, a number of people have criticised Rihanna, with some urging her to do more research before making a decision in the future.
“i feel like islamaphobia is so normalised to the point where people are calling us dramatic for being mad when our religion gets disrespected?” one person tweeted. “hadith are sacred words of the prophet, they’re used to guide muslims & are second to only the Quran. rihanna should know better.”
Another wrote: “Rihanna why is your attitude so bad and what is this? you insult the hadith, where is your mind? we Muslims are really angry and disappointed by your attitude. Alquran and hadits are the guidance of Muslims why can you do like this? Damn you!”
i feel like islamaphobia is so normalised to the point where people are calling us dramatic for being mad when our religion gets disrespected? hadith are sacred words of the prophet, they’re used to guide muslims & are second to only the Quran. rihanna should know better.
— kirry (@ZARRYKISSY) October 4, 2020
Rihanna why is your attitude so bad and what is this? you insult the hadith, where is your mind? we Muslims are really angry and disappointed by your attitude. Alquran and hadits are the guidance of Muslims why can you do like this? Damn you! @rihanna pic.twitter.com/nCcYKyYKDH
— TEAM KONTRA⛔ (@1485erina) October 5, 2020
Another person said Rihanna “alienated the Muslim community” in a show that “was supposed to be a keystone for ‘inclusion’.”
“okay the fact that rihanna’s show was supposed to be a keystone for ‘inclusion’ while she completely alienated the Muslim community by disrespecting a Hadith recitation is the perfect showcase of how fashion brands & the media have never considered us as a part of their audience,” they wrote.
okay the fact that rihanna’s show was supposed to be a keystone for “inclusion” while she completely alienated the Muslim community by disrespecting a Hadith recitation is the perfect showcase of how fashion brands & the media have never considered us as a part of their audience
— myesha thee stallion (@myeshachou) October 5, 2020
Previously, Rihanna was celebrated for using a hijabi model in one of her past beauty campaigns for her cosmetics brand Fenty Beauty. However, it’s now being pointed out that she “cant even take the time to actually educate” herself on the model’s religion.
“So disturbing how rihanna and her team used a muslim hijabi girl in their fenty makeup line but cant even take the time to actually educate themselves on her religion!” one person tweeted. “A line thats supposed to ”represent”diversity no less.”
They added: “There’s literally no excuse for this! A whole line using diversity for their aesthetics but fck muslims I guess….”
There’s literally no excuse for this! A whole line using diversity for their aesthetics but fck muslims I guess….
— s. (@lisadahab) October 4, 2020
See more tweets from people criticising Rihanna’s decision to use ‘Doom’ during her fashion show below:
rihanna bitch is cancelled, I don't give two fucks. MY RELIGION IS NOT SOME FCKED UP AESTHETIC FOR YOU TO USE FOR YOUR DAMN SHOWS
yall non-muslims ain't gonna say a shit cuz ISLAMOPHOBIA IS WAY TOO NORMALISED— liz⁷ ? flop era (@zcarushours) October 4, 2020
So the Hadith rihanna used was about the signs of the day of judgement?
I’m actually disgusted pic.twitter.com/zVLAHb8p7W
— kaf? (@Kafiyaaaaa) October 4, 2020
rihanna could go live and spend 3 hours apologizing over and over again for this and i still wouldnt accept it . 3 years ago she allowed the same thing knowing what the hadith meant and how important hadiths are in Islam. so no, no apology could make this right
— ℠ ☽ PINNED. (@woohwas) October 4, 2020
Rihanna is messed up for using a song with a Hadith in it to play at her LINGERIE show. What is up with artists using Islam as an aesthetic?? Have some respect.
— n (@nelirv_) October 4, 2020
y’all don’t realize how disrespectful it was what Rihanna did. she didn’t use music thats in Arabic or anything. she used a hadith, hadith and arabic songs are two different things, and she used the words of our prophet,that are meant to guide muslims, for her lingerie show…
— ęᴴ?(fan account) (@fIrareoutsold) October 4, 2020
A narration of the Hadith being used in Rihanna’s Savage X Fenty show is a clear example of why cultural/religious competence is important in media. Diversity without respect and boundaries for other beliefs is useless.
— ISPEAK (@itsayaaani) October 4, 2020
as a muslim, no words can describe how disappointed i am with Rihanna for letting her models dance to hadith. Hadith are the sacred words of our prophet, you can't just use it for your lingerie show. disgusting and extremely disrespectful
— dee⁷ (@kookdice) October 4, 2020
Rihanna is yet to respond to the backlash.
Meanwhile, Rihanna says she has held “tons of writing camps” to produce material for a new album, according to a new interview.
The pop star told Associated Press that she was now attempting to conceptualise the material for a follow up to 2016’s ‘Anti’.
“What do I feel personally? What do I want to put out, and as an artist, how do I want to play it with my art? How do I want to interpret that?” Rihanna said.
“How do I want to reimagine it because it’s been so structured before?”