Is Nike Haram?

**KEUNIT** · 29-06-2005, 06:48 PM

As much as I am concerned about this subject, I just have to say "Is Nike really Haram?" The word "Nike" signifies a greek goddess, now let us think over here. How many people wear Nike in the summer? It's unbelievable! I personally don't know if Nike is Haram or not because when i wear a Nike shoes or cloths, I don't mean to represent a greek goddess. So can anyone please give a straight answer to this?

**KEUNIT** · 02-07-2005, 05:02 AM

You guys, I'm not joking in this case. Most people say it is Haram because of the meaning of it, but I don't really believe them because it's just a Brand name clothes to wear. Can anyone confirm if it is really Haram?

**ahsanirfan** · 02-07-2005, 05:15 AM

So basically you're asking if you can wear a Nike merchandise, even if the brand name is the name of a Greek goddess?

**KEUNIT** · 02-07-2005, 05:24 AM

http://www.shariahboard.com/fatwa/Clothing/1157.php
It says over there, but I'm still not sure if it's Halal or Haram...

**ahsanirfan** · 02-07-2005, 05:37 AM

so there is difference of opinion..... wear nike all u want... but i'd go with the more cautious opinion (personally)...

**ze leetle elper** · 02-07-2005, 12:52 PM

The relentless rise of transnational corporations (TNC's) lie at the core of globalisation.

Brand names such as Nike and Coca-Cola are now becoming some of the most widely recognised images around. Over the last 10 years, capitalism has spread rapidly across the world.

Corporations such as Nike, Coca-Cola and Gap are open for business across the Third World, however their products are often produced in disgusting sweatshops where the workers, including children, work very long hours, under poor conditions, and at a very low wage.

Nike continues to treat its labour problems as a matter of public relations. Nike's factory wages are still the lowest amongst foreign owned factories. Many studies have confirmed that Nike do not pay its workers enough to live on. Nike's factories continue to abuse its workers rights and violate their labour rights.

Numerous reports, conducted by NGO's focus on the disgusting conditions the workers are forced to work under, and the poor treatment they suffer.

For every 1 factory worker, there are 15 outworkers.

The majority of outworkers are from non-English speaking backgrounds and are forced to work out of their homes. They are often paid as little as $2 per hour, equivalent to £1.27p, and usually work up to 78 hours a week. Workers are often unaware of their rights, conditions or even who their employer is.

Often they have nothing more than a load of material dumped on their doorstep, with the order to complete the work by a certain day. Outworkers are forced to stay up all night to finish the job, as deadlines are usually changed to an earlier date, therefore if the goods are not ready, the workers are not paid.

Nike has around 700 factories, within which 20% of the workers are creating Nike products. Conditions for these workers and campaigns of harassment and abuse have been criticized in the public eye. In Indonesia, the following was reported:

Over 50% of the workers had personally experienced or observed verbal abuse.

An average of 8% of workers reported unwelcome sexual comments,

And fewer than 4% reported being physically abused.

The main concern voiced by the majority of workers was in regards to their physical environment.

Nike claims they do not use outworkers, therefore continue to refuse to sign the Homeworkers Code of Practise, which guarantees basic minimum wages, as well as improved working conditions.

Nike is a leader of a global system of exploitation. They are the industry leaders and their mode of manufacture has been to keep moving to countries where workers have least rights, where unions are outlawed and where governments and military will often participate to keep workers under control.

Child Labour

Nike has also been accused of child labour in the production of its footballs in Pakistan. Pakistan has active laws against child labour and slavery, yet the government has taken very little action towards Nike child based industries. The US constitution itself, considers child labour as an illegal and inhumane practise.

Children as young as 4 or 5 years old, are involved in the child labour process. This problem is not just limited to Pakistan, but also applies to the majority of the Eastern countries, including India, Bangladesh, Indonesia and Vietnam.

Has Nike made any improvements?

The changes Nike have made, at factory level, have been mainly in the area of Health and Safety, often turning a blind eye to the issue of wages, union rights and independent monitoring.

However, unfortunately, even in the area of health and safety Nike is not willing to allow monitoring by independent experts.

Nike needs to allow independent health and safety inspections of their factories and publicly report their findings. Until they are willing to do so, consumers cannot be certain that Nike goods are made in appropriate conditions.

What do Nike say?

Nike claims that their employees do not suffer inadequate working conditions. In regards to the child labour, Nike now operate stitching centres where the non-use of child labour can be verified.

Furthermore Nike attempts to conceal details of their factories, claiming that the information would be used by NGO's in order to fuel further attacks. In terms of wage rates for their workers, Nike emphasizes the constant comparison of US dollar equivalent.

The establishing of a fair wage is a difficult process and the equivalents are meaningless in regards to the difference cost of living in the countries concerned.

Nike find it appalling how they have become the main focus in the area of worker exploitation, they request the public to examine their competitors and to acknowledge if any measures have been taken by the companies, over the last few years to improve working standards.

It is evident that Nike are well aware of all the scrutiny they are receiving. Yet they do not seem concerned enough to make rapid improvements in their foreign-based factories.

Investment in infrastructure is necessary for economic growth. Nike see themselves as contributing to the development of these countries, and suggest that their input will help countries build an industrial economy, which will raise the standard of living.

It is difficult to believe Nike maintain such employment practises, why must they exploit workers, including children, to make a profit?

Simply because they can exploit Third World countries, it does not necessarily mean they should.

Hundreds of children in Third World countries work for multi-billion dollar companies, such as Nike. There are always two sides to the argument and here it seems the only positive thing about companies such as Nike, is that they receive billions in revenue, because of their labour exploitation.

Nike claims to spread value and practises of market capitalism. In some cases they are doing so, yet the method they employ is evidently inappropriate.

**nayyerjigar** · 02-07-2005, 01:24 PM

the only way for us commoners to stop these *evil* corporations is to completely boycott them in every way possible: from not buying any of their stuff to advising others to do the same to avoiding their commercials...

These big companies have no interest in the welfare of their employees at all. For instance IBM recently announced thousands of layoffs not because they went into a loss in the first quarter of 2005 but their profits of 1.2 billion $ (which IMHO are quite a lot

) were way short of what they expected...

They just care about profits, profits, profits.

perhaps we should compile a list of companies to avoid? It would be a pretty long list I would imagine..