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Finding Allah in Unlikely Places
by Daniel Pipes updated Fri, 3 Mar 2006
It is bad enough when Islamists insist that Islam win privileges that no other religion enjoys; worse is when they assert Islamic rights on the basis of imaginative insults.
The sole of a Nike "Air" shoe.
The offending Nike shoe logo, where "Air" supposedly looks like "Allah" in Arabic script.
That was the case back in 1997-98, when the Council on American-Islamic Relations pounded Nike into recalling 800,000 shoes because the English word "Air" in its logo allegedly resembled the Arabic lettering for "Allah."
The offending ice-cream swirl
Now, perhaps even more absurdly, British Muslims demanded that Burger King recall a line-drawing of an ice-cream cone, arguing that it resembles (what else?) the Arabic lettering for "Allah." A customer, Rashad Akhtar, branded the design "sacrilegious" and said he was "humiliated" by the design. He added : "This is my jihad. How can you say it is a spinning swirl? You are offending Muslims." [Mar. 1, 2006 update : This quote from Akhtar comes out more aggressively in a September 2005 Eastern Eye interview Harper's magazine: "this is my jihad. I'm not going to rest until I find the person who is responsible. I'm going to bring this country down."]
Like Nike before it, Burger King did as bid and pulled thousands of ice-cream cones from sales. This won it the approbation of the Muslim Council of Britain, whose spokesman, Inayat Bunglawala, commended "the sensitive and prompt action to prevent any hurt being caused to the religious sensibilities of others." (September 16, 2005)
Oct. 29, 2005 update : I was sitting in a franchised coffeehouse named Così and was idly aware that one of its advertisements was upside-down on the table. Eventually I realized that the Così logo turned on its head offers another potential candidate for finding "Allah" in an unlikely place. Here is the logo on its head – note the steam rising from the coffee cup:
It is my hope that in making this resemblance known here to preempt by getting the word out first, and in so doing, pour cold water on anyone who might think of shaking Così down.
Feb. 19, 2006 update : David G. Littman pointed out today at the "Pim Fortuyn Memorial Conference on Islam 2006 " that – of all things – the logo of the Office of the United Nations Commissioner for Human Rights might look like "Allah" in Arabic. Below is a representation of it. Was this a purposeful subterfuge by an employee at the OUNCHR?
March 2, 2006 update : Reader "Carl" points to a related fancy in a comment below, dated today, which he found at a website : take the Coca-Cola logo, mirror-image it, tweak it slightly (as pictured here), and the result sort-of reads La Muhammad, la Makka , or "There is no Muhammad, there is no Mecca."
Sep. 12, 2006 update : I review the first story above in some detail at "Nike and 9/11 ," drawing conclusions about changes in the five years since 9/11.
Related Topics: Muslims in the United States , Radical Islam
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Allah Conquers the United Nations From: The Brussels JournalExcerpt: Logos are usually not chosen at random but rather for the message they convey, though sometimes mistakes seem to happen. Logos can easily offend people, certainly those who have a very broad definition of blasphemy. This is the Arabic script for "All...
Reader comments on this weblog entry
Title By Date
all of this is embarassing and shameful [471 words]
rabab
May 13, 2008 17:26
What A Muslim Thinks of This [216 words]
Faisal Riyami
Apr 26, 2008 13:05
it is haraam [23 words]
Adam
Mar 28, 2008 18:29
Shame for Denmark, Nike........ [57 words]
AM
Mar 17, 2008 01:55
immediately stopped this activity against Allah & Muhammad (pbuh) [91 words]
Khurram Afzal Ahmed Qureshi
Mar 7, 2008 01:35
Hypocritic Approach [147 words]
Farhan Hamid
Feb 28, 2008 12:55
↔ ISTGFRALLAH [80 words]
susu
May 11, 2008 09:07
A wee bit over sensitive the muslims are ! [88 words]
Phil Greend
Jun 2, 2007 14:36
↔ My response to PHIL GREEND [273 words]
A2student
Jun 9, 2007 08:14
↔ Response to A2 [311 words]
Sec
Aug 4, 2007 08:20
↔ Allah is Great. ( Allaho-Akbar ). Answer to Phil Greend [251 words]
Syed Mehmood Ali
Apr 20, 2008 04:15
CHANGE THE RECORD [103 words]
BUBBLE
Jan 16, 2007 13:27
the face of mohammed on a taco shell? [138 words]
Anthony Visco
Sep 15, 2006 16:50
↔ Answer to anthonny visco [162 words]
Asif Javed
Oct 28, 2007 13:51
IDOLATRY! [180 words]
Chayim Yenkel
Sep 13, 2006 11:24
Think about this... [713 words]
hydar jamal
Jul 11, 2006 10:45
My opinion [358 words]
raya
Jun 12, 2006 22:37
↔ I understand perfectly [21 words]
Abu Nudnik
Sep 12, 2006 16:20
↔ .... [24 words]
raya
Sep 17, 2006 06:01
↔ Each to his own [331 words]
Abu Nudnik
Sep 19, 2006 21:13
↔ Negative view of Muslims [430 words]
raya
Sep 20, 2006 21:44
↔ We partly agree [515 words]
Abu Nudnik
Sep 21, 2006 22:03
There is no god except ALLAH [264 words]
Mohammed AbdulRahman AlHammad
May 25, 2006 18:16
↔ You're wrong on three counts [100 words]
Abu Nudnik
Sep 12, 2006 16:31
↔ Wow. [82 words]
DLM76
Oct 18, 2006 22:23
La ilahe illallah [59 words]
EMINE
May 18, 2006 06:30
↔ You're wrong [49 words]
Abu Nudnik
Sep 12, 2006 16:36
↔ No, Muslims have not used any religions name in unlikely places. [70 words]
Syed Mehmood Ali
Apr 23, 2008 03:08
insult [116 words]
syed
May 8, 2006 05:20
↔ excuse me [132 words]
dina
May 9, 2006 15:11
↔ allah [64 words]
sultan
May 13, 2006 09:58
↔ reply to dina [108 words]
ghazi
May 16, 2006 17:06
↔ Sultan the 13 yr old [25 words]
Anubhav
May 17, 2006 05:13
↔ allah [103 words]
rizy
May 26, 2006 12:49
↔ ne yapmaya çalışıyorlar!!!! [28 words]
damla
Jun 23, 2006 06:44
↔ Ghazi, you are uninformed at best [426 words]
Abu Nudnik
Oct 13, 2006 12:52
↔ wait a minute [22 words]
dlm76
Oct 18, 2006 22:25
↔ hatred,,hatred [190 words]
boooya
Oct 27, 2006 16:34
↔ Ignorance. Ignorance [490 words]
servant of Allah
Jan 22, 2007 00:04
↔ Response to boooya [319 words]
AJ
Oct 28, 2007 15:31
↔ To Sultan - 13 year old [217 words]
peace on earth
Feb 27, 2008 22:29
The problem is... [152 words]
Wilhelm
May 4, 2006 19:23
↔ The Problem is people like Wilhelm [176 words]
Adil Chaudry
Jul 4, 2006 20:08
"Allah" the most powerful [69 words]
Junaid
May 4, 2006 04:49
Sorry but politics has no religion. [440 words]
Aliza
Apr 23, 2006 05:55
Why is the world doing that to the muslim religion? [168 words]
laila
Apr 21, 2006 12:02
↔ allah!! where??? [88 words]
goli
May 29, 2006 07:41
↔ why!!!!!!!!!!! [128 words]
m
Jun 14, 2006 11:52
↔ Answer to goli [192 words]
Asif Javed
Oct 28, 2007 14:22
↔ All Muslims believes in ESSA Alay-His-Salam ( Jesus Christ ) [60 words]
Syed Mehmood Ali
Apr 2, 2008 15:22
↔ You Can't Be Serious!! [24 words]
Terry
Apr 3, 2008 17:14
↔ Answer to Terry [184 words]
Syed Mehmood Ali
Apr 6, 2008 04:57
↔ Answer to Syed [56 words]
Terry
Apr 7, 2008 14:37
↔ Reading Torah by Muslims. [126 words]
Answer to Terry.
Apr 13, 2008 04:09
↔ Answer to Terry [126 words]
Syed Mehmood Ali
Apr 19, 2008 08:09
What I s This ?!?! [21 words]
palastine
Apr 8, 2006 13:10
↔ Nike did NOT put the name Allah on its shoes!!!!!!!! [56 words]
Abu Nudnik
Sep 13, 2006 10:48
Fish With Allah written on it [113 words]
M.Mathew
Apr 5, 2006 08:46
↔ Every Child is Born Muslim. [102 words]
Syed Mehmood Ali
Apr 20, 2008 15:37
↔ Why Christian Women are almost nude. [59 words]
Syed Mehmood Ali
Apr 22, 2008 02:56
Cool! [96 words]
Kashf al–Haqq
Mar 16, 2006 19:50
↔ To Cool [44 words]
Daisy
Mar 17, 2006 21:30
↔ Allah [173 words]
mumeen
May 16, 2006 17:08
↔ All mentions of ALLAH on products is deliberate [152 words]
adil chaudry
Jul 4, 2006 20:29
↔ That's more like it! [29 words]
Abu Nudnik
Sep 13, 2006 14:48
↔ Not deliberately [37 words]
Abu Nudnik
Sep 13, 2006 14:53
↔ Paranoiac [89 words]
Abu Nudnik
Sep 13, 2006 15:44
It's A Question Of Respect [528 words]
yakoub ibn ari
Mar 7, 2006 23:56
↔ to Yakoub ibn Ari - Rorschach Test [287 words]
Sidda
Mar 8, 2006 15:11
↔ there is some truth. [149 words]
saq
Apr 2, 2006 10:05
↔ Yakoub [383 words]
Raees M. Khan
May 7, 2006 21:13
↔ I agree [60 words]
Islam is a way of life
May 10, 2006 03:37
↔ For Sidda [w/response] [361 words]
Haris
Sep 10, 2006 17:12
Best read ever! [325 words]
Vigilante
Mar 6, 2006 19:16
↔ Lack of knowledge is your problem [327 words]
Amir Shoushaa
May 2, 2006 19:21
↔ reply [62 words]
Anonymus
May 16, 2006 16:46
Misspelled Arabic [24 words]
Arthur Collins
Mar 3, 2006 12:35
↔ May be you are right or May be you are wrong. [112 words]
Syed Mehmood Ali
Apr 27, 2008 15:16
The best of them all - Coca Cola [6 words]
carl
Mar 2, 2006 10:46
↔ carl! [74 words]
Daisy
Mar 2, 2006 18:16
↔ Beware Cocai 6oTo ! [104 words]
Bob
Mar 3, 2006 08:30
↔ To all those who hate. [42 words]
G
Mar 31, 2006 19:49
↔ MUSLIMS ARE TOO SENSITIVE...... [32 words]
T.J.
Jul 21, 2007 02:05
Islam Point of View [60 words]
Kay
Feb 28, 2006 15:00
↔ Kay Please! [84 words]
Jeff in Kabul
Mar 28, 2006 17:34
↔ For the love of... [158 words]
Raees M. Khan
May 7, 2006 21:35
The Callahan incident [w/response] [37 words]
Anonymous
Feb 24, 2006 09:15
my right hand [53 words]
no dhi
Feb 23, 2006 13:35
Not just manmade stuff [46 words]
Zahir
Feb 19, 2006 19:20
Islam and respect [86 words]
theoneverdies
Feb 19, 2006 14:45
↔ Respect for other religions [135 words]
Raees M. Khan
May 7, 2006 21:48
↔ Not quite [235 words]
Abu Nudnik
Sep 13, 2006 15:20
WRONG [88 words]
Sarah
Feb 15, 2006 16:43
↔ there's no god but allah [92 words]
abdulrahaman
Feb 17, 2006 10:36
↔ what if ?? there is no god allah !!! [207 words]
fraz
Feb 20, 2006 20:19
↔ response to abdulrahaman "no god but allah" [399 words]
Quantum_Infidel
Feb 22, 2006 13:48
↔ to abdurahman - "there's no god but allah" [251 words]
theoneverdies
Feb 24, 2006 07:48
↔ Does this 'say it all? [156 words]
JackSnow
Feb 26, 2006 16:44
↔ dear Fraz [292 words]
Abdulhamid
Feb 27, 2006 13:20
↔ Abdulhamid [203 words]
Daisy
Feb 27, 2006 23:28
↔ to Daisy [91 words]
Kay
Mar 1, 2006 07:24
↔ Kay [698 words]
Daisy
Mar 1, 2006 18:58
↔ Abduhammid [120 words]
George
Mar 2, 2006 12:39
↔ Daisy [25 words]
kay
Mar 2, 2006 16:19
↔ Infidel Lies? [1315 words]
Daisy
Mar 2, 2006 17:53
↔ In response to Abdulrahman [302 words]
Attiya
Mar 2, 2006 22:54
↔ to abdulhamid [472 words]
fraz
Mar 5, 2006 18:48
↔ Abdulhamid: a logical fallacy [146 words]
fraz
Mar 5, 2006 19:16
↔ Nice but naive Sarah [117 words]
Darrell Pack
Mar 7, 2006 11:58
↔ I agree with sarah [196 words]
Omar
Mar 29, 2006 21:00
↔ For Sarah [81 words]
Raees M. Khan
May 9, 2006 07:18
↔ You're blind... even the Bible says homosexuals should be killled [416 words]
Raees M. Khan
May 9, 2006 07:37
↔ this is to Quantum_Infide [196 words]
muslim
May 26, 2006 13:50
↔ All are valid, but not superior. [580 words]
androgynous
Jun 17, 2006 00:47
↔ huh...??? [148 words]
booya
Oct 27, 2006 16:43
↔ very Arrogant [65 words]
T.J.
Jul 21, 2007 02:36
RE: TO..'ARE YOU LIVING WITH BLINDERS'ON [136 words]
Erik
Feb 15, 2006 11:22
↔ PEACE [421 words]
Samia
Feb 15, 2006 17:28
↔ To Samia [236 words]
G.Bisvas
Feb 19, 2006 08:39
↔ to bisvas [122 words]
raees
Mar 11, 2006 06:55
SHOW SOME RESPECT [93 words]
A PROUD MUSLIM !!!!!!
Feb 13, 2006 21:06
↔ What about my religion? [54 words]
torchwood
Feb 14, 2006 16:49
↔ Re: SHOW SOME RESPECT [167 words]
PCMAdness
Feb 15, 2006 04:28
↔ hey ppl [74 words]
ibtehal
Feb 15, 2006 06:31
↔ to PCMAdness [101 words]
Sabah
Feb 16, 2006 11:40
↔ to Sabah [361 words]
PCMadness
Feb 18, 2006 00:55
↔ Respect my cosmological theory [165 words]
Zahir
Feb 19, 2006 14:13
↔ Re: What about my religion? [20 words]
UNBIASED
Feb 20, 2006 01:24
↔ Q of showing respect or tolerance ? [92 words]
ahamed
Feb 20, 2006 20:34
↔ It's called free speech, Proud Muslim [97 words]
Roger Hemelstrand
Feb 24, 2006 07:46
↔ Hey torchwood read this [126 words]
Mohammed
Mar 23, 2006 17:07
↔ Respect Earned or Demanded? [265 words]
Dean
Mar 24, 2006 17:32
↔ They DIDN'T use the name of Allah to sell shoes! [80 words]
Abu Nudnik
Sep 13, 2006 15:02
↔ A Muslim a Jew and a Christian walk into a Burger King [48 words]
Chayim Yenkel
Oct 14, 2006 10:49
↔ NO.....Islam will not rule the world. [237 words]
T.J.
Jul 21, 2007 03:40
↔ "Muslim Religion is According to Human Nature" [217 words]
Sheikh Qaisar
Oct 12, 2007 01:56
I THINK THE NIKE SHOE WAS A BAD IDEA [19 words]
NEBIL
Feb 11, 2006 16:00
↔ to the guy with the comment of nike being a bad idea [44 words]
muslimgirl
Feb 14, 2006 17:00
↔ Ridiculous!!! [120 words]
PCMadness
Feb 15, 2006 04:38
↔ Get real [49 words]
Torchwood
Feb 15, 2006 14:27
↔ to PCMadness [20 words]
Sabah
Feb 16, 2006 11:23
↔ To Sabah [262 words]
PCMadness
Feb 18, 2006 01:20
↔ Read the Article [128 words]
Daisy
Feb 18, 2006 16:45
↔ To PCMadness [131 words]
noha yousri
Feb 23, 2006 16:14
↔ No muhammed No Allah? [61 words]
zam
Mar 28, 2006 18:16
↔ I could wear the name of God on a thong and He would still be holy [163 words]
Abu Nudnik
Oct 15, 2006 12:58
↔ Oh please, Zam -- use your common sense! [7 words]
Abu Nudnik
Oct 16, 2006 19:11
This is just the beginning!! [56 words]
emma
Feb 7, 2006 20:57
↔ B.K, emma et al [164 words]
Daisy
Feb 8, 2006 13:16
Muslim Religion A Farce [18 words]
Patrick T. Altman
Feb 5, 2006 22:21
↔ Religion is a farce... [318 words]
Last Caress
Oct 6, 2006 10:54
you dont know what you are doing [119 words]
B... K...
Feb 4, 2006 10:02
↔ B.K. -- say what? [75 words]
Daisy
Feb 6, 2006 11:33
WHYYYYYYY????? [66 words]
ebru
Feb 4, 2006 08:44
↔ "show respect" [85 words]
give me a break
Feb 6, 2006 20:22
↔ It is very simple [140 words]
Maggie
Feb 9, 2006 06:48
↔ EBRU, GROW UP! [78 words]
MDG
Feb 11, 2006 23:13
↔ to "give me a break" [309 words]
khnsa
Feb 12, 2006 17:39
↔ Hey Khnsa , here is a response to an example of more Muslim denial of 9/11 and terror [208 words]
Joe
Feb 13, 2006 15:41
↔ WOT U SAYIN? [55 words]
MAHVISH
Feb 13, 2006 17:22
↔ are you living with blinders on? [129 words]
bean
Feb 14, 2006 11:55
↔ No better or worse [65 words]
torchwood
Feb 14, 2006 16:57
↔ this is not to ebru but the person who replied to her who submitted by give me a break. [255 words]
ibtehal
Feb 14, 2006 17:18
↔ listen up ppl [162 words]
ibtehal
Feb 14, 2006 17:33
↔ OI! DO U HAVE MANNERS.WELL, DONT THINK U DO CUZ U AINT GOT RESPECT!! [184 words]
TO..' ARE YOU LIVING WITH BLINDERS ON'
Feb 14, 2006 18:03
↔ no reply [71 words]
Khnsa
Feb 15, 2006 08:07
↔ Reply [113 words]
Khnsa
Feb 15, 2006 08:55
↔ reply to khnsa [7 words]
Sophie
Feb 15, 2006 16:31
↔ To Joe... [57 words]
Kay
Feb 15, 2006 17:13
↔ Freedom of Speech? [242 words]
faz
Feb 16, 2006 08:19
↔ Re:Freedom of speech [145 words]
Paul
Feb 16, 2006 15:34
↔ Finding Allah in Unlikely Places [24 words]
Sophie
Feb 17, 2006 04:08
↔ We shall never surrender [296 words]
Maggie
Feb 17, 2006 20:24
↔ maggie... [82 words]
Sabah
Feb 18, 2006 11:27
↔ Barbarians [265 words]
maggie
Feb 19, 2006 07:57
↔ Why? - Because [217 words]
Zahir
Feb 19, 2006 18:30
↔ To Kay - Wonderful news [178 words]
Zahir
Feb 19, 2006 19:07
↔ to Zahir [107 words]
Kay
Feb 20, 2006 15:49
↔ I wouldn't say that [83 words]
Kareem
Feb 28, 2006 17:35
↔ Kareem [97 words]
Daisy
Feb 28, 2006 22:27
↔ daisy [66 words]
Sarah
Mar 2, 2006 16:23
↔ Sarah .. READ [146 words]
Daisy
Mar 2, 2006 18:07
↔ daisy... [47 words]
Kay
Mar 3, 2006 18:15
↔ your responses to "blinders on" etc. etc. [375 words]
you're hilarious!
Mar 4, 2006 06:43
↔ Religion [120 words]
Badger
Mar 11, 2006 23:01
↔ To Daisy [121 words]
yasmine
Mar 24, 2006 15:10
↔ Yasmine [288 words]
Daisy
Mar 26, 2006 23:55
↔ To MDG, [8 words]
G
Mar 31, 2006 20:07
↔ What a proudy man? [79 words]
Asif Javed
Oct 28, 2007 14:53
Another Imaginative Result [w/response] [11 words]
GMan
Feb 1, 2006 11:13
↔ Imagination [6 words]
Briana
Feb 6, 2006 08:38
consideration [92 words]
muizz
Jan 21, 2006 21:09
allah [53 words]
,,,,,,,,,,
Jan 16, 2006 07:54
↔ ...................... [71 words]
ruveyda
Feb 13, 2006 16:36
↔ allah [23 words]
haschir
Mar 3, 2006 09:40
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