Ahlam said Muslims shouldn't grieve the death of non-Muslims, backlash followed

Emirati singer, Ahlam Al Shamsi, sparked outrage on Twitter early on Thursday after she posted a series of tweets stating that Muslims should not pray for deceased people who belong to other faiths. 

The celebrity directed her statements at Emirati novelist and writer, Abdullah Al Neaimi, after he posted a tribute to late Indian actress Sridevi Kapoor, who died in Dubai last week. 

In one of her tweets, the singer stated that it's haram (unacceptable in Islam) to pray for Kapoor because she is a Buddhist, mistakenly referring to the late star's faith, as she was a Hindu. 

In another tweet, Al Shamsi added that Islam prohibits followers of the faith from praying for all deceased non-Muslims. 

Minutes after she uploaded her series of tweets, the star's statement led to intense backlash on the platform with many hitting back at her insensitive comments. 

"Indian cinema has made significant developments in recent years... but I admire Sridevi's era more than Kareena Kapoor's. Maybe because her generation is the one that most genuinely reflects Indian culture. May God have mercy on her soul." 

"You're asking God to have mercy on her soul! May God forgive us. She's Buddhist and you really think God will have mercy on her?" 

When Al Neaimi asked the singer if she'd forbid people from praying for friends of hers who belong to religions other than Islam after they pass away, she replied saying: 

"Of course I would ask people not to pray for them! Just like they love their faiths, I love mine more. I ask you to get me a fatwa that allows us to pray for a non-Muslim after they die so that you'll know what's right and what's not." 

"I am with you and your statement is 100 percent true." 

"No I don't have a fatwa on this. Even though I've heard so many that do ban Muslims from wishing mercy for late people who are non-Muslim... not one of them convinced me. I will keep on praying for every peaceful human being who leaves this world, especially if they played a role in making people happy."

"Yes, may God have mercy on her soul, his mercy isn't only limited to Muslims." 

"The problem isn't Ahlam, we know that she's rude, ignorant, and racist. The real problem lies in Arab upbringing and education that led her and others who hold the same rhetoric to reach this level of thinking." 

"I am reading this and I honestly can't believe it. How can a person get upset because someone is praying for a human being who passed away? In what age are we living? How are we even living?" 

"You're such a regressed person." 

"Who are you to judge who'll be granted God's mercy? God has mercy for every human being who never hurt anyone, that's regardless of their faith. It doesn't matter if they were Buddhist, Christian, Jewish, or Atheist."

"Will a person go to hell or heaven after they die? That's what's always discussed. Our region is one that has the world laughing at its ignorance." 

According to several religious edicts on the matter, Islam does prohibit Muslims from praying for non-believers (anyone not belonging to the faith) after their death.

This stance on the issue stems from the following Quranic verse: 

“It is not for the Prophet and those who believe to pray for the forgiveness of idolators even though they may be near of kin after it has become clear that they are people of hell-fire.” [Qur’an, 9: 113] 

However, there are many other Muslim scholars who have challenged these edicts in recent years, citing another Quranic verse which states that God's mercy is limitless and unconditional. 

"And decree for us in this world [that which is] good and [also] in the Hereafter; indeed, we have turned back to You." [ Allah ] said, "My punishment - I afflict with it whom I will, but My mercy encompasses all things." [Qur’an, 7: 156]