Malaysian fatwa agency forbids Yoga for Muslims

The Jakarta Post   |  Sat, 11/22/2008 7:07 PM  |  Headlines

An authority on religious affairs in Malaysia has issued a fatwa saying Yoga is forbidden for Muslims.

The fatwa, announced by the National Fatwa Agency on Saturday, deems Yoga incorporates physical movements, musical sounds, singings and adorations that are not inline with Islamic teachings.

The agency said that the fatwa was not legally binding and that it would only serve as a formal opinion representing members of Muslim community in Malaysia. According to the latest census report, currently there are about 27 million Muslims in the country or about two-third of the total population.

The controversy about Yoga in the largely Muslim populated country became a public attention recently, following a statement of a lecturer at the Malaysia National University, Zakaria Stapa, which said that Yoga is an element of Hindu teachings and that it could affect the faith of Yoga practicing Muslims.

He argued that Yoga distances Muslims from Islam.

In response to his statements, a civil society group -- Malaysian Muslim Solidarity Movement --- launched a counter argument saying that Yoga is only a type of sports and adapted by Muslim to the betterment of health. (and)

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