Cricketer Irfan Pathan has been severely criticised by the Muslim hardliners as well as clerics for posting a selfie with his wife on social media.
Terming Irfan’s post an ‘un-Islamic’ act, Muslim cleric Maulana Sajid Rashidi said that a woman can show her face only to her husband.
"A woman can show her face only to her husband and in cases involving law related things such as aadhaar or pan card, only then can she show her face," Maulana Sajid Rashidi was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
Maulan Rashidi said that it was shameful on part of Irfan Pathan to post her wife’s photograph on social media especially because he comes from a very religious family.
Maulan Rashidi reminded Irfan Pathan that he should not forget that his father was a muezzin, a man who calls Muslims to prayer from the minaret of a mosque.
"His wife isn't an actor that she somehow comes in front of the camera, she is a home maker and hence uploading her pictures like that is a shameful act," Maulana Rashidi said.
Advising Irfan Pathan not to do anything that goes against the Islamic law, Maulana Rashi said, "Right to freedom is only according to the Indian constitution, what I am telling is the Islamic law and Islamic law doesn't allow this."
The Muslim cleric also objected to his wife applying nail-polish and termed it un-Islamic.
"There are so many people who are watching his wife's picture and also nail-polish is visible in the picture, and if nail-polish has been applied, one can't read namaz and if one does not read namaz, what kind of Muslim are they?" he asked.
The controversy erupted after Irfan Pathan posted a selfie with her wife on social networking sites.
“This girl is trouble #love #wifey” was the caption he gave to the selfie on Facebook. In the photograph, his wife can be seen in a hijab, comically covering her face with both her hands with brightly painted nails.
After being trolled on social media and criticised by the Muslim clerics, Irfan posted the selfie on Twitter with caption “ Kuch to log kahenge logo ka kaam hai kehna but always #love #travel”
