Don't succumb to paranoia, says Wan Fahysal on shoe issue

PETALING JAYA: The issue involving a shoe with a logo said to depict the word "Allah" in Arabic script has made Islam seem petty and paranoid, says Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Kamal.

The Bersatu Youth chief called on his fellow Muslims to refrain from succumbing to paranoia as to think that everything is a challenge to Islam.

“Our actions need to be based on knowledge and not blind emotion,” he wrote in a X post Sunday (Mar 7) night.

He pointed out that the new shoe controversy was significantly different from the case of socks imprinted with the word “Allah”, noting that the offence for the sock’s case was clear.

However, Wan Ahmad said the logo itself had no clear indication that it was against Islamic law or meant to be an insult against Islam.

The former deputy minister for national unity also called for all media outlets to refrain from making any exaggerated reports over the case for the sake of “viral readership”.

“Islam is not the religion for stupid people,” he added in his post.

The issue of the shoes arose following a three-minute video that had gone viral on social media in which a man claimed that the shoes he purchased displayed a logo believed to resemble the word "Allah”.

Following this, Vern’s Holding apologised in a statement on Sunday (April 7) evening for offending any sensitivities, clarifying that the graphic is actually a stylised high-heeled shoe with straps.

According to the company, it has taken immediate steps to cease the sales of the shoes affected and will offer refunds to customers who have purchased the shoes.

As of 7pm on Sunday (April 7), eight police reports had been lodged on the matter.

Earlier today, police seized a total of 1,145 pairs of shoes in Johor, Kuala Lumpur, Penang and Kedah.

No arrests were made.