Overview
- Dar al‑Ifta issued a fatwa on Wednesday that bans Libyan Muslims from buying, selling or wearing Nike‑branded clothing, saying the brand name and swoosh promote polytheism by referencing the Greek goddess Nike.
- The decree was approved by Libya's top jurist Sadiq al‑Gharyani and the authority also accused Nike of supporting Israel while calling for boycotts of companies seen as backing that country.
- The fatwa is socially influential but not legally binding, and there have been no reports of government enforcement following the ruling.
- Nike has no official stores in Libya, yet authentic and counterfeit Nike items circulate in local markets and sports retailers, limiting how fully the ban can be applied in practice.
- The move continues Dar al‑Ifta's pattern of targeting foreign brands and reflects a broader shift toward stricter cultural rules in Libya since 2011 that could change local buying habits.