Turkish Clerics Condemn Jennifer Lopez’s Saudi Arabia Concert, Call for Boycott Over ‘Cultural Insensitivity'”

Jennifer Lopez’s presence in Saudi Arabia has caused more than one social uproar in Turkey, an annoyance that went all the way to the diplomatic order of the country ruled by Recep Tayyip Erdogan since 2014.

The image that caused so much controversy has to do with the symbolism that Muslims have of the Kaaba, the stone construction that governs the center of the courtyard of the Great Mosque located in Mecca, the city where Muslims, because of their religious beliefs, have to visit once in their lives.

Her dancing in front of the Kaaba while singing during her concert outraged the Turks, so much so that even their former President of Religious Affairs, Mehmet Görmez, reacted harshly for what he considers a lack of respect from Saudi Arabia towards Islam.

In Turkey, it was widely expected that the country’s president of Religious Affairs, Ali Erba, would express some words, but he has not yet pronounced himself on an event that has caused much controversy given the case that Sharia rules in Saudi Arabia.

“The Kaaba is not the property of any, tribe, nation or state,” Mehmet Görmez expressed very upset that the silhouette of the Kaaba was used as a stage decoration at the Riyadh Festival.

The use of the silhouette of the Kaaba as a mere decoration is an insult that is incompatible with any value of Islam. The repetition of the images deeply hurt all believers. Using the holiest motto of Muslims for such illegitimate and immoral activities is literally a violation of the holy name of Islam,” Görmez argued.

This was the culmination of a tense few days between the two countries, as the Turkish press had published that the Saudis were ‘selling’ their mosques to the highest bidder with this type of spectacle.