Downward Facing Blog

Below is an article
published in Malaysia on 1st Nov 2008 by The Star newspaper. I can’t tell if I
am feeling speechless or …… ashamed.

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

** Fatwa in the
Islamic faith is a religious opinion on Islamic laws issued by an Islamic
scholar.