Another day, another round of Twitter users making celebrities and >public figures' faiths a matter of public discussion...
British-Pakistani singer and songwriter Zayn Malik is the most recent topic of debate among Muslim fans and social media users.
In an interview published in the December 2018 issue of British Vogue, the Muslim-raised artist admitted he does not personally identify as Muslim.
The interview did not go down well with some of Malik's Muslim fans, who took to Twitter to express their disappointment in the revelation.
During the interview, Malik reportedly said, "I am not professed to be a Muslim," adding that he would not call himself a Muslim and emphasizing that one's faith should be a private and personal matter.
"I believe whatever people's religious beliefs are is between them and whoever or whatever they're practicing. For me, I have a spiritual belief of there is a God. Do I believe there's a hell? No," he explained.
While acknowledging the "beautiful parts" of Islam, Malik said he simply believes in being a good person.
"I don't believe you need to eat a certain meat that's been prayed over a certain way. I don't believe you need to read a prayer in a certain language five times a day. I don't believe any of it," he said.
As for his family's reaction to his religious views, the artist said it was "really easy" for him to express his thoughts and beliefs.
"With my mum and dad, they were always there to educate us [...] but they gave us the option so you could choose for yourself," he explained.
The news left people in a state of shock as Malik was once dubbed as "the most high-profile British Muslim in the entertainment industry."
Speaking to the Evening Standard in June 2017, Malik said he is proud of his Muslim background.
"I take a great sense of pride - and responsibility - in knowing that I am the first of my kind, from my background. I’m not currently practicing but I was raised in the Islamic faith, so it will always be with me, and I identify a lot with the culture. But I’m just me. I don’t want to be defined by my religion or my cultural background," he said at the time.
During Eid Al-Adha in >2017 and >2018, Malik and his girlfriend, Palestinian-American model Gigi Hadid who also comes from a Muslim family, celebrated the Muslim holiday together.