Nike is facing pressure to recall one of its leading brands of sneakers after a customer launched an online petition alleging the design on its sole resembles the Arabic word for "Allah."

The petition said it was "appalling" to allow the name of god on Nike Air Max 270 shoes, which "will surely be trampled, kicked and become soiled with mud or even filth."

The logo on the sole of the Air Max 2780 resembles the word Allah in Arabic, the petition says. Saiqa Noreen/change.org

The customer, Saiqa Noreen, asked Nike to recall "this blasphemous and offensive shoe and all products with the design logo resembling the word Allah from worldwide sales immediately."

"It is outrageous and appalling of Nike to allow the name of God on a shoe," the petition says.

Nike's Air Max 270 shoe has been called "blasphemous and offensive". Nike Inc.

Nike said the logo was a stylised representation of the Air Max trademark, and denied the allegations it intentionally insulted Muslims, according to RT News.

A Nike representative in the US didn't immediately respond to an email.

The petition, which aims for 25,000 signatures, has been signed by more than 17,000 people.

The world's largest sportswear company faced criticism in September last year for its ad campaign featuring Colin Kaepernick.

The NFL quarterback-turned-activist sparked controversy for taking a knee during the national anthem in protest of police brutality and racial injustice.

The campaign initially rattled investors but had little fallout eventually.

A month earlier, the sportswear giant had been slammed for profiting from 'gang culture' after showing a balaclava on its website.

A widely circulated image of the balaclava, which Nike had created in partnership with designer brand Alyx, showed a black model wearing the gear, which covered his forehand, mouth, chin and chest and included straps that some compared to gun holsters.

Bloomberg/BusinessDay