A photo of celebrity preacher Pencetus Ummah Amin standing in between two Instagram influencers in tight-fitting clothes has set tongues wagging in Malaysia this Ramadan.

The image was posted to Instagram by Nadira Isaac on Sunday, April 18.

The photo opportunity presented itself during a breaking of fast event and product launch in Petaling Jaya.

The 20-year-old entrepreneur and personality had invited PU Amin, as he is known, to preach at the event held during the fasting month to launch a new beauty product, Troieka.

The event was attended by another influencer Hertonnye Linggom.

Both woman wore white figure-hugging gowns.

Met with disapproval

Online commenters in Malaysia were quick to seize on the optics of a preacher sandwiched between two women during Ramadan.

Those who voiced disapproval claimed the “sexy” dresses exposed the women's "aurat" or intimate parts, an inappropriate occurrence during the holy month for Muslims.

Nadira was even accused of making use of the preacher and posing provocatively just to promote her product.

Nadira then apologised to Amin on Instagram for the flak he received.

She wrote on her Instagram Story: “My intention of inviting PU was to make the event merry but I did not expect it to go viral.”

Did not do anything wrong

Amin told Utusan Malaysia he didn’t do anything wrong as he did not touch or hug the woman, and he left after delivering the maghrib sermon to return to the mosque.

He said: “Yes it’s true their dresses didn’t cover their aurat, but what am I supposed to say? ‘No, you belong in hell,’ when they asked to take a picture?"

“Same goes to transgenders who ask for a photo, am I going to say that?"

“People have slammed me for smiling in the picture. That’s what you call taking a picture, as if I’m going to make an angry face.”

Wife allowed him to go

Amin said he only accepted the invitation after discussing the event with his wife and peers.

He added: “I spoke about dressing appropriately, observing sensitivity during Ramadan month and the power and compassion of God -- the guests were happy and responded well to my session.”

Ended up apologising

Despite putting up his defence, Amin ended up issuing an apology on Facebook for posing with the women.

“I’m sorry if my actions of taking that picture were embarrassing and disgraceful,” he wrote.

Amin, whose real name is Mohamad Amirul Amin Maula Lokman Hakim, often preaches to the marginalised in society.

They include inmates, drug addicts, mat rempits (biker gangs) and sex workers.

He also wrote that insulting those at the fringe would push them further away from religion.

“Speak kindly with them, so they can leave evil and spark their love for God,” he said.

Amin said in his post he had asked Nadira to delete the photograph.

The post is no longer available on her Instagram page.

Amin first shot to fame as a contestant on the religious reality series Pencetus Ummah 2015.

Top photos via Hertonnye Linggom, Pencetus Ummah Amin, Nadira Isaac