Second Lady Samira Bawumia, according to Islamic law, qualified to stand before God in the dress she wore to the Ghana 60 Years On anniversary parade on 6 March at the Black Star Square in Accra, presidential spokesperson Mustapha Hamid has said.

His comment follows backlash from a section of Ghanaians on social media who accused the Second Lady of wearing a tight dress which exposed her curves, contrary to Islamic law.

But speaking on the Executive Breakfast Show (EBS) on Class91.3FM on Wednesday 8 March, the Minister of Information said Samira’s attire did not expose her awra and as such was decently dressed as a Muslim woman.

Awra is any part of a woman or man’s body that is not supposed to be exposed according to Islamic teachings.

He explained to show host Moro Awudu: “As a Muslim scholar, we are told that men and women have what in Islam is called the awra and a man’s awra is anywhere from the top of his body to his knee so that’s why I can’t wear shorts that does not go beyond my knee to pray. So as a Muslim, anything that is below your knee means your awra is exposed.

“Now a woman’s awra on the other hand is up to her ankle. Now Samira Bawumia was clad in an attire up to her feet. No part of her feet was showing, her hair was covered and so in that attire she could pray because her awra was covered. If she qualified to stand before the almighty God in that dress, how didn’t she qualify to appear before humans? Humans and God, who is greater? The discourse in our country is… People now qualify to stand before God but they don’t qualify to stand before humans? I leave it to the judgment of the people.”