A TV personality in Saudi Arabia has been detained by the authorities for “dabbing” during a concert, as reported by Okaz News.
Dabbing is a simple dance move or playful gesture, in which a person drops their head into the bent crook of a slanted arm while raising the opposite arm in a parallel direction but out straight;
The actor and singer Abdallah Al Shaharani took part in a music concert in the city of Ta’if where he pulled off the dance move.
In the now viral video, Abdallah puts down his microphone in order to encourage the audience to clap along. He then rolls his arms and performs the ‘dab’, while the audience cheers him on. A lot of artists, celebrities, and even athletes in countries around the world dab while expressing themselves.
However, the move is prohibited by the country’s anti-drug authority.
Saudi Arabia Ministry’s National Commission for Combating Drugs recently banned the move because they consider it to refer to marijuana use.
Abdallah Al Shaharani shared an apology for his behavior prior to his arrest on twitter.
السلام عليكم .. اقدم أشد اعتذاري لحكومتنا الرشيدة وجمهوري العزيز على الحركة
(العفوية الغير مقصوده ) في مهرجان الطائف
تقبلوا اعتذاري ..— عبدالله الشهراني (@Shaharani1A) August 6, 2017
The tweet read:
I am most apologetic to our honorable government and my dear president for the spontaneous movement I made in the Ta’if Festival. Accept my apology.
His arrest has caused a controversy on social media as thousands of Saudi users debated whether he should face punishment or not.
Oga o….Thank Jesus I wasn’t born as a saudi Arabian & the likes, it’s as good as being born in captivity.
I’m yet to see one social thing that is not a crime in Saudi Arabia.
This is a country that has culture and wants to protect it from western culture. If it is Nigeria, idiots will say how does it affect economy? Or is dat corruption they should be fighting?
am happy, i dont come from saudi or any arab or pure islamic country.
@truth, you are as false as it gets. Is it the dab move that is their problem?
Captivity is just their cross to bear. Ours is governance. I’d pick our problem over theirs a thousand times.
One more thing, Jesus is the true salvation.
Moniker, speak for yourself ! There are more than 4 billion people in this world who do not believe Jesus is the true salvation. Respect other people’s beliefs just as you want yours respected.
Just this morning I read about the Iran Revolutionary Guard arresting some people for practicing zumba and at that moment I had to say a prayer of thanks for not being born in a country or region (Northern Nigeria) where you can’t live life to the optimum.. Living like one is in prison, ordinary zumba and dab. Na wa o.