Taking exception to the alleged use of certain words with religious connotations in the designs of US shoe major Nike and German sports lifestyle giant Puma, leading Islamic seminary Darululoom Wakf Deoband and Muslim clerics have appealed to the community to boycott the products of the two MNCs.
The deputy incharge of the Fatwa department of the Darululoom Wakf Deoband Mufti Ahsan Kasmi has condemned the use of Islamic imagery in an objectionable manner in the designs and advertisements of these companies and appealed to members of the community to abandon using their products.
A Shia cleric and the member of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board Maulana Kalbe Jawwad said Muslims should be conscious and start boycotting sale and purchase of goods manufactured by these companies.
UP Imam Organisation president Mufti Zulfakkar and the Shariat court of Maulana Irfaan have also supported their views. However, US shoe major Nike in a statement here today said, "In April 1997, the original version of this product was withdrawn from the marketplace when the US-based Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR), called to our attention that the design (the word "Air" in flames) on the heel and outsoles too closely resembled the Arabic word for "God" or "Allah".
The company had agreed to recall all products carrying the design and introduced sensitivity training for Nike designers in Islamic imagery, the statement said.
"It is important to note that the redesigned Air Bakin product contains none of the previous offending designs - however, the unique Nike Air cushioning and lacing system that made it popular among basketball enthusiasts remain the same. However, comments from Puma on the issue were not available.
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