Is Siri Muslim? Quick Overview:-
| Company | Apple Inc. |
| Voice Assistant | Siri |
| Controversy Origin | Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh |
| Key Allegation | Siri responds to “Salam Walekum” but not to “Jai Shri Ram” |
| Accused By | Right-wing worker and VHP activists |
| Apple’s Response | No official statement yet |
| Demand | Boycott iPhones / Close Apple stores in MP |
| Fact Check | Siri also does not respond to “Allahu Akbar” or “Sat Shri Akal” – responses depend on programming and language categorisation |
About the Controversy:-
A controversy erupted in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh, when right-wing worker and astrologer Pawan Pathak accused Apple’s voice assistant Siri of being “anti-Hindu.” Pathak demonstrated before the media that Siri responds to the Islamic greeting “Salam Walekum” with “Wa Alaikum Assalam,” but when users say “Jai Shri Ram,” “Jai Shri Mahakal,” or “Jai Mata Di,” the assistant either stays silent or gives a generic reply like “Hello, may your day be good.”
“iPhone is against India’s culture and hurts Hindu sentiments because Siri gives replies to ‘Assalamualaikum’ but remains silent on ‘Jai Shri Ram’. Crores of Hindus in Ujjain and across India use iPhones, but this is a fraud on us.”
The accusation quickly gained traction, with the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal joining the protest. The VHP’s Ujjain district president wrote to Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Dr Mohan Yadav, demanding the closure of all Apple stores in the state until the issue is resolved. Even Juna Akhara’s Mahamandaleshwar Shaileshanand Giri Maharaj extended support to the demand.
What Exactly Happened?
Pawan Pathak, a Ujjain-based astrologer, held a press conference in which he demonstrated Siri’s behaviour on 10 to 15 different iPhones. His key findings were:
On “Salam Walekum”: Siri responds with “Wa Alaikum Assalam”
On “Jai Shri Ram”: Siri says “Hello, may your day be good”
On “Jai Shri Mahakal”: Siri replies, “There is no one in your contact named Jai Shri Mahakal”
Pathak called this a reflection of Apple’s “Jihadi mindset” and a “conspiracy” against Hindus, alleging that while crores of Indians use iPhones, the company is not respecting Indian culture.
The Technical Reality – Why Does This Happen?
The question “Is Siri Muslim?” is technically incorrect. Here is the factual explanation:
Aspect Explanation:-
“Salam Walekum” A standard global greeting with a pre-programmed, fixed response in Siri’s database. Many digital assistants have such responses for common greetings.
“Jai Shri Ram” A religious chant or declaration, not a standard greeting. Siri is not programmed to respond to every religious slogan.
“Namaste”: Siri also responds to “Namaste” with “Namaste” – because it is a recognised greeting.
Other Chants: Siri does not respond to “Allahu Akbar,” “Sat Shri Akal,” or other religious proclamations in a similar manner.
Siri functions through voice recognition, sending data to Apple servers, natural language processing to understand meaning, and the transformation of that meaning into actionable instructions. The system is designed to map natural language commands to specific functions – it does not possess religious identity or bias. The difference lies in linguistic categorisation – Siri treats “Salam Walekum” as a greeting with a fixed response, while “Jai Shri Ram” is treated as a conversational phrase or a request to search contacts.
Key Takeaway: Siri is an AI assistant, not a religious entity. It responds based on programming rules, language models, and command support – not religious identity.
The Bigger Picture – Apple’s AI Stance:-
Industry analysts and observers have noted that Apple intentionally positions itself as “neutral” in the AI race. Unlike Google, Meta, and Microsoft, which are investing heavily in AI infrastructure, Apple has taken a more restrained approach. Apple has announced it would allow users to call ChatGPT or Claude directly from Siri – treating AI models as interchangeable tools, not “sacred machines.”
Apple has not issued any response to the allegations, and the claims regarding Siri’s responses have not been independently verified.
Workaround for Users:-
If you want Siri to respond with “Jai Shri Ram,” you can set up a Shortcut Automation:
- Open the Shortcuts app.
- Tap + → Add Action → Search for Speak Text.
- In the Text field, type: Jai Shri Ram.
- Name the shortcut: Jai Shri Ram.
- Then say: “Hey Siri, Jai Shri Ram” – and it will speak the chant.
Note: For security reasons, Apple does not allow changing the wake word from “Hey Siri” or “Siri” to anything else.
Final Verdict:-
Claim Verdict
Siri is “anti-Hindu” False – Siri is a neutral AI, not a religious entity
Siri is “Muslim” False – AI has no religion
Siri treats all religions equally Partially True – It responds to standard greetings but not to religious chants
Apple intentionally targets Hindus Unproven – No evidence; Apple has not responded yet
Bottom Line: The controversy stems from a misunderstanding of how AI assistants are programmed. Siri’s behaviour reflects technical limitations, not religious bias. However, Apple’s silence on the matter may fuel further speculation.
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