Leaders of a mosque in Kenya recently complained to a US-based designer whose T-shirt worn by musician Jay-Z depicts their holy building.
“You cannot associate a religious minaret with worldly things. You print a T-shirt with a logo that might end up in clubs and bars,” one of the leaders of Riyadha Mosque and Islamic Centre in Lamu wrote recently.
“Let him apologise.”
A Twitter user shared a photo of the T-shirt:
The T-shirt was designed by Zeddie Lukoye of Blkburd Genes. The company says its mission is to educate people around the world about history, nature, and current affairs.
Riyadha Mosque Secretary General Abubakar Badawy wrote a letter to Lukoye asking him to apologise publicy.
“We don’t consider this an honour, nor a privilege, for the historical mosque and its Founder Habib Swaleh for its imagery to be portrayed in such a way. Bars and clubs are an affront to the spiritual respect and dignity of the mosque, its founder, to the congregation, and the general Muslim community within and outside Lamu,” wrote Mr Badawy. “We therefore politely request you to show respect for the mosque by removing our Mosque’s portrait on the shirt, to show us that you really do respect the people of Lamu and the Mosque.”