American rapper and spouse of business magnate Kim Kardashian, Kanye West is no stranger to scandals and controversies. And this time, the presidential hopeful has again provoked the fury of the public after a sensitive controversy. The fashion designer was recently accused of disrespecting Islamic angels with his new collection of Adidas Yeezy Boost sneakers.
Adidas and Kanye West
West, the creator behind the most renowned urban shoe collection, chose to name two latest editions of the Yeezy Boost as Israfil and Asriel.
Israfil is known in Islam as the angel who blows into the trumpet to indicate the final Day of Judgment while Asriel (also pronounced Azrael in Arabic) is known as the Angel of Death in Islam and some Jewish rituals.
YEEZY BOOST 350 V2 ISRAFIL. AVAILABLE AUGUST 22 IN ASIA PACIFIC, EUROPE AND NORTH AMERICA AT https://t.co/SNOmpVaWg8, ON THE ADIDAS APP IN SELECT COUNTRIES, AND IN SELECT ADIDAS STORES. pic.twitter.com/TqUvKf2ion
— adidas Originals (@adidasoriginals) August 17, 2020
A petition has been started asking for Adidas to revert the names of the shoes.
“It has came to the attention of the Global Muslim community that Adidas has allowed the production of a shoe that is named after an archangel in Islam,” the petition reads.
“Until further notice, we request all Muslims to boycott adiddas products, cease all sale of adidas products by any Muslim owned 3rd party retail shops until adidas ceases the production of this commodity.”
You can sign the petition here.
The public shared their angry remarks and slammed Knaye West for his disrespectful act.
Latest controversy#KanyeWest new shoe named 'Israfil'
— Azra_H (@azra_hhh) August 19, 2020
In #Islam, Israfil is known to be the angel that will blow a trumpet to mark the ultimate end of the world.
Naming a shoe after a significant Angel of God, in the Islamic religion, is highly disrespectful.@MuslimAdvocates pic.twitter.com/D2s8qhkGwe
Dear @adidas I am gonna STOP buying and using your products if those Kanye West's newest shoes' names aren't changed because it IT DOES NOT RESPECT Islam. #ShameOnKanyeWest #ShameOnYeezy
— saymyname (@SeptianaTri3) August 23, 2020
@kanyewest @theyeezymafia @adidas shame on you for using the name of Islam's four archangels for a shoe name. That's cultural appropriation and it is wrong and upsetting to our Muslim community. Change the shoe name. #culturalappropriation
— Sandra (@sanbrown76) August 23, 2020
