I was just out of town for 3 days and is shocked to know such a big news this morning that Fatwa Council banning Muslim for yoga practice as worshipping and chanting are prohibited in Islam. This subject make me recall a post in Yogajess with the title "Christianity and Yoga". It seems YOGA become a religious topic.
Today's STAR paper with the subject "Yoga Fatwa on Hold" that the implementation of the fatwa (edict) banning the practice of yoga by Muslims has been put on hold in two states - Selangor and Perak. The other subject "Give alternative version of yoga, says Perlis Mufti" where Perlis Mufti Dr Asri Zainul Abidin said the National Fatwa Council should have offered an alternative version of yoga instead of banning Muslims from practising the ancient form of exercise. He said “Yoga practitioners who are Muslims should be given an alternative by practising a version of yoga that does not resemble the version practised by other religions,” he said, adding that chanting while practising the exercise should also be stripped.
I'm NOT here to post this topic for debating the Fatwa, but just concern and caring about the Muslim yogis teachers and friends. I just read a comment from a Muslim friend at my earlier post "yogaloft (2)" as below:
ramuna bt arun said...
or try to create a flow of yoga that can be completely non-chanting,non-woshipping. actually as a democratic country, i believe government should set the rules to govern the yoga studios than banning Muslims to practice yoga, i have been practicing yoga for 5 years and it made me more faithful to my religion and more loving to my family. I believe yoga is a teaching, just like "pendidikan moral" in school, nothing more than that.
November 23, 2008 2:18 PM
I think those comercialised yoga centers are teaching yoga as one of the fitness or health features. I found the classes they have mainly on asana (physical movement - exercise) and could have few pranayama classes. May be some of those small individual groups of non-profit yoga teaching that focus and concentrate on meditation could have involvement on worshipping and chanting...
You may find more relevant articles are posted in Ninie's blog.
6 comments:
Hi Yogalover
Would like to share this article about Yoga and Religion with not only Muslim practitioners but Christian practitioners who fear that by taking up the practice of Yoga, they might undermine their own religious faith.
http://www.shambhala.com/html/learn/features/yoga/basics/religion.cfm
Hi all,
Muslim allows to continue their yoga practice now just minus chanting mantra only! Thanks Pak Lah.
The Star news: Understand yoga fatwa, do not twist the facts: PM
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/11/26/nation/20081126171016&sec=nation
PM said Muslims who performed yoga exercise and not chanting any mantra could carry on with their activity as it was good for their health.
dear yogalover,
thanks for acknowledging my comment and i'm just being truthful to myself and speaking out from my heart. What a relief at the moment as I thought I can never attend any yoga classes anymore if it's defined 'haram'.
yoga, to me, is definitely not religious, it's a non-racism practice, you can consider it as a teaching or a philosophy. to me, it's the way one's live. the open-mind of our prime minister gains the respect, Thank you, Pak Lah.
Hi Karin and Fei,
Thanks for your kind information. You all are always informative and updated.
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Hi Ramuna bt Arun,
Congratulations! Glad to hear the good news from Pak Lah.
Continue enjoy your yoga practice. CHEERS ^_^
by the way, i supposed to sign up yogaloft this week, the news really holding me back, not that i'm not confident to them, but just that once i commit, i'll truly commit, hope that yogaloft can come out with a Muslims-friendly package, if just in case ( of course i never hope this will happen ), i may have no choice but to suspense my practice, it's definitely not because of any other reasons, but just simply the regualations. anyway, i will definitely pay another visit by weekend and signing up ( though i will need to wake up half an hour earlier at 5.30am to send my kids to school at Sri KL ) if a special condition is applicable to Muslims practitioners - if due to the ruling changes, we are forced to suspense the membership, we will be granted the privilege to stop.
to all other yoga practitioners,
do treasure whatever you have now, if you are non-Muslims, you are so lucky not to worry any ruling may change your yoga journey, so, please listen to yogalover's advice if you truly love yoga - no attack, no harsh words.
dear yogalover,
if you know TJ, your perception will be different. anyway, i am not going to start any issues here because we have had enough from a very 'adorable' kitty.
Namaste.
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