The Instagram photos of the singer, who played a show in Abu Dhabi on Saturday, show her dressed in all black with a headscarf on, posing in front of a mosque.
Overseers of the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque say they asked Rihanna to leave the compound because Rihanna was in an area that is normally off limits to the public, and the fashion-style photo session violated rules on the "status and sanctity of the mosque."
Rihanna hasn't publicly responded to the actions by the staff.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
