Author: Anand Soondas
Publication: The Telegraph
Date: December 25, 2000
After the controversy
over racial discrimination, Coca-Cola is facing another public storm for
an offence it may not even be aware of.
Muslim religious leaders
and clerics in Lucknow have issued a fatwa against Coke, asking Muslims
in the country and across the world to boycott the fizzy drink as they
are "certain" that the words Coca-Cola when held against a mirror reads
"No Muhammad No Mecca" in Arabic.
An enraged Maulana Kalbe
Jawwad, religious head of the Shias, said: "It is blasphemy. We will
ask Muslims in the country and throughout the world to boycott the product
until the company withdraws the offending words."
"This allegation is baseless.
We have had this logo since the last 75 years. It doesn't read like
that in Arabic,'' said Coke spokesman Irfan Khan from Mumbai.
Khan was, however, worried
that the controversy might take a serious turn because of the involvement
of religious leaders.
The maulana said he would
ask all practising Muslims to spread the message about the "highly offending"
logo.
Corroborating the maulana's
stand, S.R. Azmi Nadvi, Arabic scholar and principal of the renowned
Nadwa College in Lucknow, said the words are "against our religion".
"I have looked at it (the logo) and I am sure that it is highly sacrilegious,''
he added.
He said the matter would
now be taken up with the Muslim Personal Law Board and the Islamic World
Arab League in Mecca.
