Durban - Visiting Canadian urban hip-hop artists Deen Squad have received backlash from members of the Muslim community for their performance at the Al-Ansaar Souk Trade Fair on Saturday, where young girls were videoed clapping, jumping and screaming out for the male rappers.
This led to Karter Zaher, of Deen Squad, fighting back on Twitter.
"If these close minded Muslims traveled the world, they would come to the realization that Islam is not a one dimensional faith. There are billions of Muslims who praise God in their own ways and the intention is always is always to feel closer to him," Zaher wrote.
"Stop living in a box, GO TRAVEL!!!"
The duo, which also comprises Jae Deen, promote positive values of Islam through their music, while challenging misconceptions about the religion.
The Al Ansaar Foundation, which is hosting the souk until January 1 at the Durban Exhibition Centre, has also come under the hammer, with the executive committee of the Jamiatul Ulama KZN (Council of Muslim Theologians) appealing to Muslims to refrain from attending the fair and similar events.
It said that besides the music and dancing, the event was an arena where time and money was wasted and that "shamelessness, free intermingling and zina of the eyes and ears often took place".
Al Ansaar directors apologised for hosting the duo.
"We, the management of the Al Ansaar Foundation, unreservedly apologise to the Muslim community for hosting the Deen Squad, who performed at the Souk Trade Fair on Saturday.
"Our expectations and engagement of the Deen Squad were based purely on international prominence and their reputation within wider audiences over the world.
"We fully acknowledge that the show was not in keeping with Islamic standards and ran counter to our expectations."
Further shows featuring Deen Squad were cancelled.
One Facebook user wrote: "...I was horrified and could not believe was happening at the Souk. Tme feel extremely uneasy. I could not believe my eyes. Why wasn't their performance stopped?"
Another wrote: "To all those people making a mountain out of an ant himade ut the Deen Squad performance . . . take a chill pill! Why you'll acting like saints when most of you listen to western music and sometimes aboheir appearance and attire, the music, the dancing, jumping up and down, those girls who were going wild and screaming for them sing along to the jams.
"Fair enough music is haraam in Islam, but the Deen Squad are using music to keep youth away from the obscene music videos and vulgarity that are being used in music of today..."