Muslim porn star who perform in traditional Islamic dress is banned from Pakistan, as she refuses to quit

A porn star who claims she is 'banned' from Pakistan after conducting 'adult scenes' in Islamic dress said she is still a practicing Muslim and prays regularly - despite the potentially conflicting demands of her job.

Nadia Ali - who first got into the adult industry as a dancer two-and-a-half years ago before moving into escorting then becoming a porn star - admitted that she experiences 'conflicts' between her religion and work but that she views it as a 'stepping stone' for her work in the beauty industry.

The 25-year-old, who lives in Los Angeles and has family in Pakistan, used to thread eyebrows for a living before getting involved in the adult film industry, when she learned, she told Refinery29, that dancing in a hijab or wearing scarves would help her to pull in millions of viewers.

Among the projects she has starred in is controversial adult film Women of the Middle East whose tagline includes the statement: 'This may just be what was in bin Laden's porn collection'.

Nadia said in the video interview: 'I'm a practicing Muslim. Sure I have conflicts between my faith and day-to-day life, but doesn't everybody?'

She added: 'I practice Islam, for the sake of peace and guidelines of life - not to steal, be humble, be happy, be thankful.

'One of the biggest main sins is adultery and doing it multiple times a day as an escort you will not be forgiven and I am fully aware of that but yet I still pray. But I don't escort anymore.' 

Nadia, who grew up in what she describes as a 'strict Muslim community' said she always felt like an outsider as a child. 

But her life changed forever when one day when she was struggling financially while working at a salon in San Francisco doing eyebrow threading and her friend took her to work as an erotic dancer.

'I made like 500 bucks and I was so proud of myself. Oh my God I'm never going to go back, I'm never going to go back to my old life again,' she said.

'It's like you're selling a fantasy that you're going to take this guy home with you but you're not.'

From dancing, she progressed to escorting, and later started acting in porn films.

She said in the video that she has 'officially been banned from Pakistan' adding that 'they banned me because I wore the scarf and the traditional dress in the adult scenes and performed in Islamic wear.'

But when questioned about it by Daily Mail Online, she said she had not been notified of a ban through official channels, but suggested that it would be dangerous for her to go there.

She said: 'When people want to kill somebody they're not going to contact you, you're just going to know and feel.'

Nadia said that although 'ideally' her parents would prefer she did not work as a porn star, they understand her motivations for it.

She said: 'Ideally, just like any other parent they do not like their daughter to do that type of work, but they have a good understanding of why I did things. I have a very good relationship with my parents, I'm very open about things.' 

Nadia, who wants to open her own beauty bar in the future, said there is little guidance in the adult film industry but that she'figured it out' for herself.

She said: 'I don't have a mentor, no-one really has a mentor in the adult industry, you just have to figure it out. You either figure it out or someone teaches you... If you're smart you can do it on your own.'

Although she said it upsets her when people criticize what she wears, she is happy to be a  trail-blazer.

She added: 'Someone has to make a difference and change a few things. If I have to make it clear over and over again that's fine, I'm here to stay and I'm here to make a difference.'

But while she is able to 'bring it to their attention', she said it is up to individuals to open their own minds. 

She said wearing traditional garments is part of what gets her work, claiming many porn and adult companies would not hire her without it. 

She told Refinery29: 'The only thing that stands out, and I got millions of views, is because of my outfit.

'I'm not OK with that. But then again it was good for the viewers and I got what I wanted out of it, I did get the publicity.'

Responding to critics, she said her intention is not to 'bash' her culture, claiming it is about 'being open with my sexuality'.

She said while the adult industry is 'part' of her, it does not define her, adding: 'Sometimes people do certain things to get by for the time being so they can get to the next level of their life.'