Libya's religious authority bans wearing Nike logo

Summarised from 3 outlets · Updated 4 Nov, 18:33 · Archive

Libya's highest Islamic authority has issued a fatwa banning Muslims from buying, selling or wearing Nike clothing, citing the brand's association with a Greek goddess.

Libya's Dar al-Ifta, the country's highest religious authority, has issued a fatwa banning Muslims from buying, selling or wearing Nike clothing. The ruling states that Nike was named after the Greek goddess of victory and that the company's famous swoosh logo was inspired by her wings. The Dar al-Ifta argued that wearing clothing displaying the logo amounts to promoting symbols associated with 'polytheism', the worship of more than one god, which it said contradicted Islamic teachings. The fatwa was approved by Libya's Grand Mufti, Sadiq al-Gharyani.

The religious authority also accused Nike of supporting Israel and called for a boycott of companies that back the country. This accusation referred to a statement issued by the Dar al-Ifta's Council for Research and Sharia Studies on 5 November 2023, which had urged Muslims to boycott Western companies considered supportive of Israel during the war in Gaza.

Nike does not operate stores in Libya, but its branded items are available through sportswear retailers, and counterfeit products are sold in local markets. The Dar al-Ifta is an influential religious institution based in Tripoli in western Libya, though its rulings are not legally enforceable. Libya remains politically divided after the toppling of long-time leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, with rival authorities and institutions operating in the east and west.

This is not the Dar al-Ifta's first such ruling. Last year it issued a fatwa against French luxury jewellery house Van Cleef & Arpels, arguing that the brand's four-leaf clover design was associated with Christian beliefs and the pursuit of good luck, which it said contradicted Islamic teachings. In 2025, authorities in eastern Libya announced restrictions on rap music, theatre and dance performances, citing violations of Islamic values. These measures were later extended to western Libya.

How it is being reported

• Nike slapped with Islamic fatwa for ‘promoting polytheism’ via Greek goddess symbolNike has been slapped with a fatwa – a religious decree from an Islamic leader – for “promoting polytheism,” since the sneaker brand is inspired by the Greek goddess Nike.New York Post · 4 Nov, 18:29
• Nike is issued with a fatwa banning Muslims from wearing their clothesSportswear giant Nike has been issued a fatwa, with Libyan Muslims banned from wearing its logo.Daily Mail · 4 Nov, 10:46
• Libya's top religious authority rules against wearing Nike clothesThe US company was named after the Greek goddess of victory, so the Dar al-Ifta said displaying its logo was unIslamic.BBC World · 3 Nov, 14:56

In this story: Nike · Dar al-Ifta · Libya · Sadiq al-Gharyani · Tripoli · Muammar Gaddafi · Van Cleef & Arpels

This summary was written by AI from the headlines and standfirsts above, and states as fact only what at least two outlets report. How we use AI · Report a problem · Corrections log