Muslims slam 'blasphemous' Katy Perry video

Katy Perry performs Dark Horse at the Brit Awards. Photo/AP

US singer Katy Perry, who will visit Australia next week, has upset Muslims with what they say is "blasphemous" imagery in her new music video.

In the promo for her hit Dark Horse, the Roar singer plays an Egyptian queen who has the power to zap her subjects with lightning and turn them into sand.

She has offended Muslims by killing a man who is wearing a pendant which says Allah in Arabic. The jewellery item is also zapped.

Members of the Muslim community have criticised the video, calling it blasphemous and demanding for it be removed from YouTube.

A petition on Change.org, launched by Shazad Iqbal of the UK, says ``This petition is lodged In (sic) regards to Katy Perry's music video Dark Horse... The video is considered as highly controversial to its viewers as a result of its portrayal of blasphemy.

``At 01:15 (minutes) into the video Dark Horse; a man is shown being burned, whilst wearing a pendant (also burned) forming the word Allah, which is the arabic (sic) word for God. Such goes to show, that blasphemy is clearly conveyed in the video, since Katy Perry (who appears to be representing an opposition of God) engulfs the believer and the word God in flames.''

On Wednesday the petition had 44,119 signatures.

Perry will visit Australia next week to promote her November tour with dates for New Zealand to be announced soon.

The Australian leg of The Prismatic World Tour will include shows in Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Adelaide and Brisbane.

The singer may also be a married woman when she arrives for her tour after reportedly setting a June wedding date with John Mayer.

Speculation is rife the pair are engaged after the 29-year-old was spotted on Valentine's Day wearing a band on her engagement finger and Grazia magazine reports they are hoping to tie the knot in a few months time.

According to the report Perry has asked her father, pastor Keith Hudson, to officiate the union.

Neither Perry or Mayer, 36, have publicly confirmed or denied the engagement rumours.

Perry divorced British comedian Russell Brand in 2012.

Watch the video for Dark Horse:

- WENN