Zayn Malik said he no longer identifies as a Muslim and his declaration has caused a firestorm and earned him attacks from Muslims.

Zayn says he appreciates the fact that he went to Mosque and learned about Islam and that there are beautiful parts of the faith but he chooses not to identify with it any more.

Speaking to British Vogue, the former One Direction singer, 25, said he is not a practicing Muslim anymore and no longer believes in 'any' of the religion.

He told the publication: 'I'm not professed to be a Muslim' and when asked if he would consider himself to be Muslim, he responded: 'No, I wouldn't.'

The Pillowtalk hitmaker said although he had a 'spiritual belief' of a god, that he did not endorse Islam religious practices such as daily prayer and eating halal meat.

He said: 'I don’t believe you need to eat a certain meat that’s been prayed over a certain way, I don’t believe you need to read a prayer in a certain language five times a day.

The star added that it was 'really easy' for him to drop the religion with his family, saying he attended mosque and studied Islam growing up.

He said his parents had always given him and his siblings the option to choose for themselves, and added that was pleased to have built his life around Islam.

Zayn's father Yaser is British-Pakistani and his mother Trisha converted to Islam when she met him, with the couple raising their children Muslim.

The star's revelation has sparked a backlash online from fans. He was previously one of the world's most notable Muslims.

The former One Direction star previously said of his religion: 'I take a great sense of pride — and responsibility — in knowing that I am the first of my kind, from my background.
The news was met with shock in his home city, Bradford, not because he no longer identifies as a Muslim but because he had the courage to admit it.

'I'm not currently practising but I was raised in the Islamic faith, so it will always be with me, and I identify a lot with the culture.

'But I'm just me. I don't want to be defined by my religion or my cultural background.'

In August Zayn celebrated Eid al-Adha, also called the Festival of Sacrifice, with his family and supermodel girlfriend Gigi Hadid, 23.
Some are saying that it’s hardly a surprise given Zayn’s penchant for smoking, drinking and showing off tattoos but others have reacted with frightening fury.