Libyan clerics ban buying and wearing Nike-branded clothing

Libya’s Dar al-Ifta has issued a fatwa banning Muslims from buying, selling or wearing clothing bearing Nike’s logo. It says the company’s name refers to the Greek goddess of victory and its swoosh is inspired by her wings, making the symbols linked to polytheism; the ruling also accuses Nike of supporting Israel and calls for a boycott.

The ruling was approved by senior jurist Sadiq al-Gharyani, but Dar al-Ifta’s orders are not legally enforceable. Nike has no stores in Libya, though its products are sold by sportswear retailers and counterfeit goods appear in local markets. The decision follows a similar ruling against Van Cleef & Arpels and comes amid wider debate over religious conservatism in a country divided between rival authorities since Muammar Gaddafi’s overthrow in 2011.