Nike has been slapped with a fatwa – a non secular decree from an Islamic chief – for “promoting polytheism,” since the sneaker model is impressed by the Greek goddess Nike.
The Dar al-Ifta, Libya’s high non secular authority, issued the ruling, which bans Muslims from shopping for, promoting or carrying clothes with the iconic Nike swoosh.
It argued that carrying garments with the sneaker model’s well-known image is the same as “promoting polytheism,” since the swoosh is modeled after the historic Greek winged goddess of victory.
Nike has been slapped with a fatwa for “promoting polytheism.” John Angelillo/UPI/Shutterstock
The Islamic establishment also attacked Nike for supporting Israel, citing a 2023 discovering from its Council for Research and Sharia Studies. It has called for a boycott of Israel and all corporations that support the nation.
A fatwa is a formal decree from an Islamic chief on issues sometimes associated to day by day life. Though influential, the opinions are not legally binding.
Libya is home to the historic Greek metropolis of Cyrene, where Nineteenth- and Twentieth-century excavations uncovered a statue of the goddess Nike and associated fragments.
Nike does not operate any shops in Libya, though its merchandise are offered at other retailers in the war-ravaged nation. Around the area, counterfeit variations of Nike merchandise and other standard manufacturers, like Adidas, are also usually offered in native markets.
The Winged Victory, or Nike, of Samothrace in Paris’ Louvre Museum. Corbis via Getty Images
In 2025, the Dar al-Ifta issued a related fatwa against Van Cleef & Arpels, the luxurious French jeweler identified for its thousand-dollar bracelets.
It argued that the model’s four-leaf clover design was tied to Christian beliefs like good luck and fortune, which contradict Islamic teachings.
Last 12 months, authorities in Libya also announced restrictions on rap music, theatre and dance, arguing that some lyrics and public performances go against Islamic values.
One of the most notorious fatwas in latest reminiscence focused creator Salman Rushdie. He went into hiding after Iranian zealots handed a decree against him in 1989. Madman Hadi Matar thought he was performing on the fatwa when he viciously attacked the novelist in 2022.
Nike did not immediately reply to The Post’s request for remark.