Malaysia Islamic body bans yoga for Muslims

Banned . . . Muslims in Malaysia no longer able to practice yoga, as Islamic council fears elements of Hinduism may be corrupting.

November 23, 2008

Malaysia's top Islamic body on Saturday banned Muslims from practicing yoga, saying the Indian physical exercise contains elements of Hinduism that could corrupt Muslims.

The National Fatwa Council, which has the authority to rule on how Muslims must conduct their faith, issued a fatwa, or edict, saying yoga involves not just physical exercise but also includes Hindu spiritual elements, chanting and worship.

Council chairman Abdul Shukor Husin told reporters that many Muslims who practice the globally popular yoga failed to understand that its ultimate aim was to be one with a god of a different religion.

"We are of the view that yoga, which originates from Hinduism, combines physical exercise, religious elements, chanting and worshipping for the purpose of achieving inner peace and ultimately to be one with god," he said.

"It is inappropriate. It can destroy the faith of a Muslim," he said, noting that clerics in Egypt also issued a similar edict in 2004 that called the practice of yoga "an aberration".

Decisions by the Fatwa Council in Malaysia are not legally binding on Muslims, who comprise nearly two-thirds of the country's 27 million people, unless they are enshrined in national or Shariah laws.

However, many Muslims abide by the edicts out of deference, and the council does have the authority to ostracise an offending Muslim from society.

The fatwa reflects the growing strain of conservatism in Malaysia, which has always taken pride in its multi-ethnicity. About 25 per cent of Malaysians are ethnic Chinese and eight per cent ethnic Indians, mostly Hindus.

Recently, the council issued an edict banning tomboys, ruling that girls who act like boys violate the tenets of Islam.

The issue of yoga came into the limelight last month when an Islamic scholar expressed an opinion at a seminar that it was un-Islamic, prompting the Fatwa Council to step in.

Local newspapers have received several letters from Muslims, expressing indignation at the scholar's view, saying yoga is simply a way to maintain health and has nothing to do with religion.

Putri Rahim, a housewife, expressed shock at the fatwa, saying she is no less a Muslim after practicing yoga for 10 years.

"I am mad! Maybe they have it in mind that Islam is under threat. To come out with a fatwa is an insult to intelligent Muslims. It's an insult to my belief," Putri said.

"I think it is easier for non-Muslims to live in Malaysia now than for Muslims," said Putri.

She said yoga helped ease the severe back pain she used to suffer from.

There are no figures for how many Muslims practice yoga, but many yoga classes have a sprinkling of Muslims attending.

In a recent blog, social activist Marina Mahathir criticised the council for even considering a yoga ban, calling it "a classic case of reacting out of fear and ignorance".

"Yoga may have spiritual roots but most of us do it for the exercise, both for the mind and body," Marina wrote.

AP

It sounds more like the Islamic Councils are at fault than the average moderate Muslim.

Who votes these people in and what gives them the authority to control the lives of the ordinary Muslim?

Surely the modern Muslim will demand more freedom from the restrictions being imposed by isolated groups of Councillors.  

Is Malaysia under majority Muslim rule?  Will these ordinary people be charged for being disobedient and imprisoned or stoned to death if they continue with their Yoga classes?

I think it was Abu who tried to equate Muslim prayer techniques with yoga. He pointed out the health benefits of the practice. Maybe they are afraid of the competition - of people being able to get those health benefits without being a Muslim.

Grendel wrote on Nov 23^rd, 2008 at 7:32am:

Malaysia Islamic body bans yoga for Muslims

Yet another example of how absurd the claims, and how mistaken ppl are, who give any credence to [Australian] muslim community claims, of how tolerant ISLAM is of other cultures, and other belief's.

The truth is, that muslims [within host countries] will portray themselves as being very tolerant, only while they are politically weak, within host countries.
[Deception]

But when ISLAMISTS gain sufficient political power, they always reveal their 'true colours', and their absolute INTOLERANCE of all things un-ISLAMIC.




+++++++++++



Iran.....

15 April 2007
Group cleared over Iran murders
[The accused men believed they were allowed to kill immoral people]
Iran's Supreme Court has acquitted a group of men charged over a series of gruesome killings in 2002, according to lawyers for the victims' families.
The vigilantes were not guilty because their victims were involved in un-Islamic activities, the court found.
The killers said they believed Islam let them spill the blood of anyone engaged in illicit activities if they issued two warnings to the victims.
The serial killings took place in 2002 in the south-eastern city of Kerman.
....The accused, who were all members of an Islamic paramilitary force, told the court their understanding of the teachings of one Islamic cleric allowed them to kill immoral people if they had ignored two warnings to stop their bad behaviour.
But there was no judicial process to determine the guilt of the victims in these cases.
The group even killed a young couple they thought were involved in sex outside marriage, but media reports say the couple were either married or engaged to be married.
Lawyers for the victims' families say the Supreme Court has five times overturned the verdict of a lower court that found all the men guilty of murder.
Now the Supreme Court is reported to have acquitted all the killers of the charge of murder on the grounds that their victims were all morally corrupt.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6557679.stm



In Iraq, where the West has freed Iraqis from the excesses of Sadam Hussein...

March 23, 2005
Death at 'immoral' picnic in the park
THE students had begun to lay out their picnic in the spring sunshine when the men attacked.
“There were dozens of them, armed with guns, and they poured into the park,” Ali al-Azawi, 21, the engineering student who had organised the gathering in Basra, said.
“They started shouting at us that we were immoral, that we were meeting boys and girls together and playing music and that this was against Islam.
“They began shooting in the air and people screamed. Then, with one order, they began beating us with their sticks and rifle butts.” Two students were said to have been killed.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/iraq/article434762.ece



But of course, some ppl on this forum will tell us, that such incidents are unrelated to, and unrepresentative of, peaceful ISLAM.

Q.
Why would ppl make such a claim, ppl who claim that they have no 'investment' within ISLAM themselves?




Perhaps some of the deniers here, can hold hands, and sing this song together, while they again refute these assertions about ISLAM?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kumbaya

I don't see how developing a flat-spot on your head can equate to yoga fd.

It's just another example of an oppressive cult tightening its grip.


I'm of the opinion our freedom is in peril in the coming years.
bit by bit they chip away at our rights to say what islam is.
it is not the "average" muslim that does this, it is the extreme leaders that drags everyone there.

bluh- ridiculous

people have to made individually responsible for their actions. you can't legislate against 'influences'.

if there were anything they should ban it should be americantv programs- that could be seen as a much more pervasive influences that what is essentially stretching

btw I love yoga but I'm not allowed to do it anymore :( sniffle

meditating is the best

gaybriel - you are not allowed to do yoga ?
why not ?

Quote:

bluh - ridiculous

You seem to have left off a word...

MUSILMS  or ISLAM

bluh - ridiculous Muslims
bluh - ridiculous Islam

You did however manage yet again to show your bias in yet another area...  anti-Amercanism.

Wonder if that makes you a Dhimwit?

Grendel wrote on Nov 24^th, 2008 at 4:43pm:

Quote: bluh - ridiculous You seem to have left off a word... MUSILMS  or ISLAM bluh - ridiculous Muslims bluh - ridiculous Islam You did however manage yet again to show your bias in yet another area...  anti-Amercanism. Wonder if that makes you a Dhimwit?

you misconstrue my comments.

I meant from Malaysia's perspective, surely television would be seen as having a more pervasive influence than a particular type of exercise

personally I enjoy american tv (some of it)- watching angel right now..aahhh angel

Sprintcyclist wrote on Nov 24^th, 2008 at 4:17pm:

gaybriel - you are not allowed to do yoga ? why not ?

I have hyper flexibility which gives me back problems. so I have to focus on my strength rather than my flexibility, which is why I do weights

Gaybriel wrote on Nov 24^th, 2008 at 4:51pm:

Sprintcyclist wrote on Nov 24th, 2008 at 4:17pm: gaybriel - you are not allowed to do yoga ? why not ? I have hyper flexibility which gives me back problems. so I have to focus on my strength rather than my flexibility, which is why I do weights

Have you ever tried Chinese yoga like taichi or qigong, They don't overstretch there at all.

tallowood wrote on Nov 24^th, 2008 at 6:00pm:

Gaybriel wrote on Nov 24th, 2008 at 4:51pm: Sprintcyclist wrote on Nov 24th, 2008 at 4:17pm: gaybriel - you are not allowed to do yoga ? why not ? I have hyper flexibility which gives me back problems. so I have to focus on my strength rather than my flexibility, which is why I do weights Have you ever tried Chinese yoga like taichi or qigong, They don't overstretch there at all.

hmmm no I haven't! I'll check it out!

now I just do pilates and my 'allowed' stretches. every now and again I break the rules and do one of these though :P

---

:o OK now you're just showing off.

Gaybriel wrote on Nov 24^th, 2008 at 6:17pm:

tallowood wrote on Nov 24th, 2008 at 6:00pm: Gaybriel wrote on Nov 24th, 2008 at 4:51pm: Sprintcyclist wrote on Nov 24th, 2008 at 4:17pm: gaybriel - you are not allowed to do yoga ? why not ? I have hyper flexibility which gives me back problems. so I have to focus on my strength rather than my flexibility, which is why I do weights Have you ever tried Chinese yoga like taichi or qigong, They don't overstretch there at all. hmmm no I haven't! I'll check it out! now I just do pilates and my 'allowed' stretches. every now and again I break the rules and do one of these though :P

On the picture the midsection is too bent while thighs and top is not stretched enough.

Here is the classic gymnastic bridge.
http://ffg2000.narod.ru/d_pics/bridge.jpg

Also you should properly warm up all your muscles and stretch gradually taking your time before doing a bridge.

How do you get out of that position?

freediver wrote on Nov 24^th, 2008 at 6:32pm:

How do you get out of that position?

Flick you legs over the top or turn either side or bent your knees and push with your fingers to get momentum to do face forward.

ahh ye I don't do it as extreme as that gymnastics one or the one I pictured. which your right was too bent in the middle- mine is more rounded out. like...the one below

easy freediver- you just lower yourself back down, bend your arms and lower down.

as for stretching and warming up before hand- not something I really do for bridge, there are some things I need more warming up for- but that's more to do with my hamstrings- they're always a bit tight

---

this one I don't do much anymore because of my back- plus I cant extend as much as she can- she's a freak!

---

wait- this is the one I do

it all looks a bit kinky when you look at it objectively

---

Yes, that one looks very strange. But it's really just the bending of the neck (with weight on it) that is unusual, right? You could photoshop the head out of the picture and should look like it was stuck in the ground.

you need afair amount of flexibility in your back and shoulders- and yes, the pressure on the neck is a bit intense.

I don't put my arms back like that- too ouchy

Well that's one way to go off topic on a tangent I suppose...  well done g your " muslimification " is almost complete.

Yeah, fancy talking about yoga in a yoga thread. Or is that not yoga?

Grendel wrote on Nov 24^th, 2008 at 7:09pm:

Well that's one way to go off topic on a tangent I suppose...  well done g your " muslimification " is almost complete.

I thought you were quite the fan of levity

Is that lady Canadian?

no idea- here's her website

http://www.marisolhume.com/gpage.html

I'm sorry did I miss the joke...

I don't think so.

Yet another attempt at misdirection gaybriel?  ::)

Oh dear fd...  it's about Muslims banning "yoga" fd...  you really do need to bone up on your comprehension skills.

levity does not necessitate joke cracking

plus how am I misdirecting? I already answered your question and stated my opinion on the article

You don't get to decide what everyone else talks about Grendel. If you don't want to talk about yoga, don't introduce it as a topic. I'm just as happy to bone up on my yoga skills.

Listen mod: thinly veiled insults are still insults...  you may have a personal dislike that colours your opinion, and you may like being biased...  but it does wear mighty thin.

oh and I hardly think a topic on yoga would find itself in the extremism forum do you.  
oh and if anyone knew what a topic was about it would be the person who submitted it.

Now stop making yourself look like a proper goose just because you have a problem with me.  if abu had done this and anyone else mentioned deflection etc you'd be backing them 100%.  ;D ;D ;D

It's pathetic to watch.

Gaybriel wrote on Nov 24^th, 2008 at 7:06pm:

you need afair amount of flexibility in your back and shoulders- and yes, the pressure on the neck is a bit intense. I don't put my arms back like that- too ouchy

I used to do all that and more when I did competition wrestling. Gave it up after age of forty though. Taichi is quiet enough now.

ooooohhh! nice!

No need to get all bent out of shape Grendel. Perhaps some gentle stretching would help calm your nerves?

the little bits of yoga i have done have been quite .... capable of injury.
Most westerners do little (no) stretching and go bull at a gate at artistic things.

I'ld imagine many people do it once, cant move for a day or so after don't do it again.

A BAN on yoga by Malaysia's highest Islamic body is facing opposition from royal state rulers, who are considered the guardians of Islam in the country, reports said today.


Quote:

Devotees of yoga and moderate Muslim groups have criticised the weekend ruling by the government-backed National Fatwa Council, which said that the ancient practice could erode Muslims' faith.

Quote:

A vociferous Islamic religious leader from the northern state of Perlis, Asri Zainul Abidin, also spoke out against the yoga decision and said Muslims could follow a non-religious version of the popular exercise. "The fatwa council should not be so rigid and should instead consider allowing Muslims to practise it solely for health benefits instead of issuing a blanket ban on the practice,'' he said. Sisters in Islam's Norhayati said that the edict also rang "warning bells'' about a "regressive trend'' in Malaysia, where the population is dominated by Muslim Malays, who live alongside ethnic Chinese and Indian minorities. "It has been escalating lately and this reflects a larger issue of growing conservatism,'' she said.