Yoga diharamkan...???

Published: Saturday November 1, 2008 MYT 4:06:00 PMUpdated: Saturday November 1, 2008 MYT 6:04:10 PM

Fatwa Council ruling on yoga on Friday

KUALA LUMPUR: The National Fatwa Council will come out with a ruling on yoga exercise on Friday, said Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (Jakim) directorgeneral Datuk Wan Mohamad Sheikh Abdul Aziz.

He said the ruling would come following an indepth six-month study that had been undertaken after the matter was referred to the council three times.

The ruling is related to the faith of Muslims who practised yoga, Wan Mohamad told reporters after officiating a seminar on 'akidah' (faith) at the Wilayah Persekutuan Mosque on Saturday.

Recently, a lecturer, Prof Zakaria Stapa of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia's Islamic Studies Centre, advised Muslims who had taken up yoga to stop practising it out of concern that it could cause them to deviate from their belief.

Yoga, related to exercise and mental discipline, has been practised since 3,300BC for improved health and is said to help slow down ageing, reduce risk of diabetes, asthma and heart-related diseases.

The daily exercise practice has many poses, positions and concentration techniques based on ancient Indian tradition. Also, Wan Mohamad said he regretted the attitude of Muslims in the country who were easily influenced by foreign cultures to the point of affecting their faith.

"When those involved take them as trends, such cultures can lead to a serious crime according to syariah law (Islamic law) and this can destroy the family institution," he said.

Wan Mohamed said the recent National Fatwa Council ruling to ban tomboyish behaviour, that is women looking like men whether in appearance or dressing, was to preserve the faith of Muslims.

He said syariah law could be brought to bear on Muslims who practice culture that could lead to a deviation of their faith. - Bernama