The promised fatwa against yoga has been delivered, and it will be up to the various states within Malaysia to decide on "enforcement." Will there be Yoga Police?
Of course, all of this must be taken in the context of the larger campaign to Islamize all aspects of Malaysian society and set Malays -- all of whom are Muslim by fiat of Article 160 in the Malaysian constitution -- above and apart from Malaysia's Hindu and Chinese populations. (And no one is supposed to question that, either.)
"Yoga Ban: Don't question fatwa, says Council," by Farrah Naz Karim for the New Straits Times, November 23:
PUTRAJAYA: As expected, the National Fatwa Council yesterday announced that Muslims are prohibited from practising yoga.
In declaring yoga haram, the council said it could be traced back to Hinduism and concluded that yoga could erode the faith of Muslims.
Council chairman Datuk Dr Abdul Shukor Husin said the decision was made as yoga involved elements that were against the beliefs of Islam in its physical movements, chanting and worship.
"Many Muslims in the country fail to understand the ultimate aim of yoga.
"It combines physical movements, religious elements, chanting and worshipping for the purpose of achieving inner peace and ultimately to be one with God," he said at a press conference to announce the decision yesterday.
Shukor said once the fatwa was gazetted, it would be passed on to the states to decide on the enforcement.
Malaysia, he said, was not alone in prohibiting yoga among Muslims as the Singaporean and Egyptian Islamic councils had done the same.
Shukor said renowned Islamic scholars were also of the view that yoga could erode the faith of Muslims.
Asked if practising yoga with the intention of promoting physical health was also against the fatwa, he said although it did not include the chanting and beliefs, it was discouraged.
This, he said, was because the physical movements of yoga were a component of the practice which was haram.
"In Islam, one must not do things which can erode one's aqidah (belief). Yoga, even the physical movements, is a step towards the erosion of a Muslim's belief, hence they must avoid it."
Muslims, he added, should be careful and conduct thorough studies before embracing rituals and practices that could threaten their faith.
He said Islam had long paved the way for Muslims to achieve spiritual peace and health and they should stick to these teachings, which included praying five times a day.
The Islamic Development Department (Jakim), he said, would start a programme to educate Muslims on why yoga was against the teachings of Islam.
Expecting a backlash from Malaysians on the decision, Shukor reminded non-Muslims not to question the fatwa.
"We respect the harmony and freedom of practice of other races [i.e., non-Malay - M.]. This is not something for non-Muslims to interfere in or question as this matter involves Muslims and their faith.
"It may not be acceptable to other races, but this is about Islamic teachings," he said.
Yoga practice among Muslims recently became an issue when Professor Zakaria Stapa of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia's Faculty of Islamic Studies said the practice could cause Muslims to deviate from Islam.
He had pointed out that yoga could be traced back to Hinduism and urged Muslims who practised it to stop and return to the teachings of Islam.
Yoga, which dates back more than 5,000 years and is a form of spiritual practice in India, is one of the six classic systems of Hindu philosophy that stresses self-control, discipline, postures, breathing, restraint of the senses, steadying of the mind, meditation and contemplation.
"In Islam, one must not do things which can erode one's aqidah (belief). Yoga, even the physical movements, is a step towards the erosion of a Muslim's belief, hence they must avoid it."
-- from the article above
There are a thousand things that can erode a Muslim's aqidah, not to mention his self-esteem:
1) Visits to any Western (or Eastern) museum of art.
2) Listening to Western classical music.
3) Listening to Western popular music.
4) Studying evolution.
5) Studying cell biology.
6) Studying physics.
7) Studying comparative religion.
8) Studying the history of any part of the world, in any university in any country not dominated by Muslims.
9) Watching Western movies.
10) Watching Western television.
11) Reading the Bible.
12) Reading any books by non-Muslim writers.
There's a dozen. You fill out the rest of the list. It shouldn't be hard.
Also, the reaction of some Malay yoga practitioners here. Needless to say, yoga centers will remain bhumiputra businesses, where Infidel owners have to share with Mohammedan co-owners, despite the fact that they can't have Mohammedan customers. In this context, it would be like having to give Mohammedans partial ownership of churches, Buddhist monasteries, Hindu temples, et al
P.S. Again having TypePad related posting problems.
This ban is huge in malaysia, every major newspaper publishes it in the front page headlines.
I know Ninnie Ahmad (From Infidel Pride's link), shes really cool yoga instructor & according to her, this ban makes no sense. She runs a successful yoga center.
Saying that the ultimate goal of yoga is to erode the faith of muslims?? yoga was invented before islam for gods sake. but since yoga would heavily damage the delicate balance of islamic believe according to some morons, i guess they could stay stupid & unhealthy.
Also, saying that is the equivalent of saying that islams ultimate goal is to invite non muslims to join their club, threaten them / subjugate them with heavy taxes & humiliation & still fail, kill all non muslims, AM I RIGHT? PROVE ME IM WRONG.
Fake religions cant win.
Since non muslims cant question the yoga ban, Muslims are not allowed to talk about islam to non muslims, this might erode the non-muslims faith as well. This seems to be a fair solution.
My personal opinion is that yoga centers are blooming in leaps and bounds, mostly chinese individuals has started operating this business.
Hence, it seemed more like a politically motivated move to disrupt non-malays business. Im very sure there will be a version of halal yoga or whatever they want to call it, al-yoga or what shit. Just to get the money spent among muslims.
Sorry muslims, how does it feel to have a moron running your life? If im one, i feel like a looser. Please dont let anyone else join your club! At least. allah gave you brains to think, have some balls to fight back. are you a slave to god or some prick that wants your money that will enslave you for doing what you believe is right?
This story is similar to how the Puritans banned the celebration of Christmas and Easter because of their pre-Christian origins. In England, the people revolted against the ban by celebrating Christmas and also by desiring to have the monarchy restored. As a result of the monarchy being restored, Christmas has remained a traditional holiday in England.
Seing the failure of the anti-Christmas campaign in England, the Puritans in Massachusetts also banned the celebration of holidays like Christmas and Easter for many years. Even after the ban was lifted, the holiday did not become a part of both New England's culture and America's culture as a whole until Catholics and Episcopalians influenced their neighbors and they started to celebrate these holidays as well. As a result, most Americans currently celebrate holidays like Christmas and Easter.
Today, only groups like the Jehovah's Witnesses frown upon and even forbid the celebration of holidays like Christmas and Easter. If these groups had their way, America would still be like what Malaysia is becoming today, a society where religious extremists dictate what is permissable and what is not. Let us hope that such a society never exists in the non-Muslim world ever again.
Hugh,
I have calls my muslim friends from Singapore, Egypt, Indonesia, Qatar and Oman, today, NONE OF THESE COUNTRIES BANNED YOGA!!
They told me islam does not prohibit that, if it does good to the body, islam permits it and the fatwa agency of malaysia
Someone commented in the blogs that Saudi & Iran & more have loads of yoga centres, even more than terrorist camps. I guess doing your body good is a profitable business.
muslims lying to muslims - I guess that is also permissible in the quran right?
Yoga is Okay in Singapore - press clip
(proof that the islamic agency in malaysia lied & probably say that the press misquoted him)
http://www.straitstimes.com/Breaking+News/Singapore/Story/STIStory_300202.html
A MUSLIM cleric in Malaysia has called on Muslims to stop doing yoga exercises, but some religious experts in Singapore do not share that sentiment.
They are largely of the opinion that yoga is harmless as long as its spiritual aspects are not practised.
Professor Zakaria Stapa, a lecturer at University Kebangsaan Malaysia's faculty of Islamic studies, said recently that yoga is based on Hindu elements and could affect the faith of Muslims practising it.
That sparked a nationwide debate and the Malaysian National Fatwa Council may issue a fatwa, or decree, on yoga soon.
The country seems to be alone in its concern.
Yoga centres are flourishing in more orthodox Muslim countries such as Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
In Iran, yoga is so popular that there are classes for children.
In Singapore, Mr Mohammad Yusri Yubhi Md Yusoff, 33, executive imam of Al-Falah mosque, said: 'Yoga may have its roots in Hinduism. But if you take away the meditation and other spiritual aspects, it becomes just another form of exercise.'
Veteran religious expert Pasuni Maulan, 64, agreed. The former registrar of Muslim marriages said spiritual elements in exercises are not exclusive to yoga. Silat, which has its roots in Malay culture, can sometimes involve hailing spirits, a practice not allowed in Islam.
'Those who are not sure about what is allowed may want to do other exercises,' he suggested.
As a rule of thumb, avoid the spiritual forms of exercises and embrace only the physical aspects, said religious teacher and counsellor Abdul Manaf Rahmat, 50.
Teacher Hafiza Yahya, 26, who studied yoga through books five years ago, has been doing just that.
'In classes, instructors may ask you to say Hindu incantations. I simply did the exercises without all that,' said the mother of two, who shed more than 30kg through yoga after each pregnancy. She now weighs a trim 46kg.
Just don't call it Yoga...
From article: "Many Muslims in the country fail to understand the ultimate aim of yoga.
"It combines physical movements, religious elements, chanting and worshipping for the purpose of achieving inner peace and ultimately to be one with God," he said at a press conference to announce the decision yesterday.
Good grief...We can't have any of that inner peace and oneness with God crap...Unheard of in Islam, blasphemous. You can't be one with Allah, what are you crazy? That makes you a partner and a shirker, it's not possible anyway. Oneness with God is kufr theology.
Why would anyone in their right mind want to be 'one' with Allah anyway???
Can you handle the fire?
Oneness with Allah is like a hot potato, and you have no one to toss it to...
So ban Yoga and stop this nonsense...
Since the malaysian fatwa gang said they have to ban anything that has any hindu origins & this could therefore divert muslims faith form islam,
I propose these same people to ban (& enforce) the kamasutera. This includes every documented positions & moves, tips, medicine & treatment derived from it.
Seems fair right ?
Kamasutera is a well documented hindu/indian art of love. Would anyone in islam fatwa gang ban this?
"Today, only groups like the Jehovah's Witnesses frown upon and even forbid the celebration of holidays like Christmas and Easter. If these groups had their way, America would still be like what Malaysia is becoming today, a society where religious extremists dictate what is permissable and what is not."
It's true that Jehovah's Witnesses don't celebrate these holidays, but it's nothing new. They never did.
The Witnesses do think they have the corner on "The Truth", but they're hardly religious extremists! To say that they are is ridiculous.
They don't force conversion--a child must be 11 or 12 years-old, in order to voluntarily be "dedicated" (baptised). There's no: "your mommy/daddy was a Witness, so you're one, too". Nor is any death sentence levied against a Witness who decides to change his or her religion.
As far as I know, no Jehovah's Witness has ever killed anyone in the name of Jehovah. They are conscientious objectors, and eschew even the military. Bombings are not their style.
Jehovah's Witnesses have their own Bible, "The New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures", and it's inconsistent in some places with other Bibles, yet, it doesn't say that everyone in the book was a Jehovah's Witness. Moses, Abraham, et al were Jews, and righteous men.
I can't remember the last Jehovah's Witness honor killing I read about. I'm a bit fuzzy on the last stoning, too.
You're a little bit ignorant, Christian. You should read more.
Stormwarning, it depends on what you consider to be 'extremist.' They are not violent and are not obsessed with hating non-Jehovah's Witnesses to the same extent as Muslims (who take that farther than anyone else, for sure, devoting the vast majority of their 'religious' texts and their prayers to hating infidels), but they are a cult, so in that sense, yes, they are extremist.
Check it out: http://www.faithfreedom.org/challenge/cultist.htm
Tell me that's not a cult.
What else can you expect from a country that is still knocking over Hindu temples and making it difficult for any other religions to exist.
This is the same country that hosted the OIC conference in 2004, and their PM at the time Maharthir Mohammed gave that nauseating speach about the jews fighting their wars by proxy, and being related to pigs and monkeys etc.
This is the same religion that is reponsible for why its adherents cant produce Nobel prizes, or patents, or books, or art, or anything uplifting other than the mindless fauning towards a serial thug,paedophile,and deviant who if he was alive today would be the boss of a bikey gang.
When are these morons going to bring their stupid belief system into the modern world, and stop being a force for darkness and evil, where ever they go.
"...this matter involves Muslims and their faith."
From the article.
Oh, here we go again with their precious faith thing. We certainly wouldn't want to be seen countenancing interference with the brainwashing of the faithful. Pathetic.
Okay, maybe Yoga is okay. But Yogi Berra - still haram!
If there is one thing Muslim women really need, it is exercise. Muslim women, however beautifully slim when young, seem to get fat very fast, and stay that way. They waddle around like ducks.
Some enterprising Muslim woman needs to work out some form of acceptable exercise regime they can follow without making their menfolk freak out.
Better still, they should all bound away from their religion with a graceful and energetic leap into a strong, healthy, happy future.
They could stop having so many kids. They could also stop wearing garbage bags. We never realize that we're gaining weight until our jeans don't fit. They have no equivalent of that. Actually, I have to admit that many Arab and Paki women somehow manage to remain enviably slim after having kids. They do not age well though, which is kind of weird in the case of Paki women, since Hindu women, who are the same racially, tend to age very well, but that's probably attributable to vegetarianism.
Th Hindu women might be happier too?
And do yoga...
Hindu women get to wear the sari instead of those black cloth hefty bags. Maybe that's a reason they feel better.