NEW DELHI: A video footage of Saudi Arabia’s Minister embracing and kissing the forehead of a grieving mother of a Christchurch victim is circulating on social media.
In the video which is currently on social media, the Minister of Islamic Affairs Sheikh Abdul Latif Al Asheikh is seen talking to reporters before kissing the forehead of female Hajj pilgrim, who has loss her son in the New Zealand‘s Christchurch mosque shooting.
The video posted by Twitter user Fadila Al Jaffal received mixed reactions on Sheikh’s kissing a woman’s forehead.
Some claimed the minister’s response was inappropriate behavior under Islam while others praised him for his humanity and compassion.
“This minister is loyal to his religion and homeland,” wrote Twitter user Abital Alayah in the comments section of Al Jaffal’s post. “His critics are the enemies of the success of the reforms.”
“Islam prohibits any physical contact with women unless wife, sis,” a user countered. “What he did is wrong.”
“This is the Islamic religion. I never saw a picture as deep as this one before,” tweeted user @A5Nothing
Another user took a neutral stance. “The minister’s act is wrong, but we do not know what is in their hearts and we have to improve our intentions,” he wrote.
A day after the attacks on two mosques in New Zealand which left at least 51 people dead, Saudi Arabia’s King Salman bin Abdulaziz had ordered the hosting of the survivors and families 200 people of the Christchurch victims to visit Makkah for Haj.