Friday, May 22, 2009

Nike Fatwa

In the name of Allah, The Most Beneficent, The Most Merciful

Dear Muslims, one question – would you wear the following two t-shirts? “Absolutely not!”- everyone would say. The reason is obvious; the following two t-shirts have the images of the deities of other religions on them. No true Muslim would ever wear them.



Unfortunately there are millions (yes millions) of Muslims who are wearing similar t-shirts with a particular deity (as a word and as a symbol) imprinted on their clothes, shoes, bags… you name them.

And that deity’s name is “Nike” the Greek female god of victory.


The well-known shoe and sports equipment company Nike, Inc. is named after the Greek female god Nike, who represents victory and strength.
In Greek mythology, Nike (Greek: Νίκη , meaning Victory), was a female god who personified triumph throughout the ages of the ancient Greek culture. She is known as the Winged Goddess of Victory.


Female God of Victory - Nike (Statue)

Swoosh in the Nike company logo represents the wing of this above female god. And the name “Nike” is the personal name of this female god.
For this reason, wearing Nike products is prohibited for Muslims. Muslims are encouraged to wear other sports companies’ products that have no religious significance in their logo and company name.


Fatwa on wearing NIKE products

Question: Is it permissible to wear clothing bearing the Nike motif, as I learned recently that Nike got their name from the Greek goddess of Victory?

Answer: Wearing a garment with the logo of Kufr is prohibited in Islam since Islam prohibits imitating non-Muslims. The Prophet said: "Whoever imitates some people, he is one of them". In another narration he will be resurrected with them". The above Hadith gives a severe threat to those people who imitate Kuffars in their style or manners of talking, acting, wearing, worshipping, or in their feasts or in any other matters which are not legislated for us and are not approved by us.

Note that the Prophet disavowed any connection with the Muslim who lives among Kuffars and does not distinguish himself from the Kuffars in his manners, deeds and practices, let alone a person who carries a logo of Kufr with him? Imam Abu Dawood narrated in his Sunan that the Prophet said: "I am exempt from any Muslim who lives among polytheists". When they asked the Prophet he said: "Fire of Muslims should not be seen with the fire of Mushrikeen".

The sign of "Nike", on the garments which many Muslims wear, is a sign of a goddess of victory, daughter of the giant Pulas, as the Greeks believed. So, every Muslim is obliged to avoid a sign of Kufr and he should not take with him such a sign even though the sign is no longer used as the logo of Kufr. How can one use a sign and name of a goddess of Greece?

The evidence for this rule is the Prophet's question to the person who has vowed to slaughter a camel at "Buwanah" he said: "Did the place contain any idol worshipped in pre-Islamic times?" [Related from Abudawood].

If there was an idol in pre-Islamic times then slaughtering in that place would be forbidden even though the idol/idols had been removed. Then how could it be permissible to use those things which used to indicate Kufr?

Fatawa Issuing Body : Islam Web
Author/Scholar : Dr. Abdullah Al-faqih
Date Of Issue : 16 Safar 1420
Source: World Fatwa Management System (USIM)

Another audio-fatwa by Sh.F.Muhammad http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yaj_DDFeE9E

So brothers and sisters in Islam, please keep away from Nike products and save yourselves from the Hellfire. Please educate your other fellow Muslim relatives and friends about this issue, so that they won’t fall into this Kufr unknowingly.
May Allah SWT guide the Ummah and save us from Hellfire. Ameen.

Nike On Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nike,_Inc.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nike_(mythology)

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