No ban on yoga for RI Muslims yet: Ulema body

Abdul Khalik ,  The Jakarta Post ,  Jakarta   |  Mon, 11/24/2008 9:05 AM  |  Headlines

The Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) said Sunday it would not follow its Malaysian counterpart in banning yoga, if only because it did not know how widely yoga was practiced here.

MUI deputy chairman Umar Shihab said the board of clerics would have to conduct a study before issuing an edict to ban it.

"It's OK if it's for sport. I guess we can allow it here. But I don't know if it is proved it can destroy our beliefs as Muslims or contains ideas of polytheism," he said.

Umar said the MUI had never conducted a study on yoga because there had been no public complaints.

Malaysia's National Fatwa Council, which has the authority to rule over how Muslims practice their faith, took the international community by surprise Saturday when it issued a fatwa or edict banning Muslims from practicing yoga, saying the Indian physical exercise contains elements of Hinduism and could corrupt Muslims.

The council said yoga involved not just physical exercise but also Hindu spiritual elements, chanting and worship.

A fatwa is not legally binding on Muslims, who comprise nearly two-thirds of Malaysia's 27 million people, unless it is enshrined in national or sharia laws. However, many Muslims abide by the edicts out of deference, and the council does have the authority to ostracize an offending Muslim from society.

Many analysts have said the fatwa reflects the growing strain of conservatism in Malaysia, which has always taken pride in its multiethnicity. About 25 percent of Malaysians are ethnic Chinese and 8 percent ethnic Indians, mostly Hindus.

Creeping conservatism has also been observed in Indonesia, as evident in the recent passage of the controversial pornography bill and enforcement of sharia-based ordinances in regions.

Deputy chairman of the MUI edict commission Ali Mustafa Yakub said Muslims here were allowed to practice yoga as it was not clear how popular it was.

"I've rarely heard of Muslims here practicing yoga. We don't need to ban it because we haven't found Muslims practicing it here. If they do, they are not publicly visible, so there will be no problems," he said.

Yakub said he was sure the Indian influence in Indonesia was not as strong as in Malaysia, arguing the influence was limited to dangdut music.

Hundreds of yoga classes with thousands of participants throughout the country have emerged since the 1998 financial crisis, with many adherents regarding yoga as a way of relieving stress and frustration.

"All of a sudden, the classes are full," Janet Wijaya, a senior yoga instructor, was quoted as saying by Tempo magazine recently.

With a financial crisis looming over the country, more people -- regardless of their religion -- may take up yoga.

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Dhani (not verified) — Fri, 11/28/2008 - 9:31pm

In the end, MUI is just a bunch of power-hungry crowd hiding behind the mask of religion. I won't worry too much because such twisted logic, insecurity of own faith, and intolerance-mongering attitude will only lead them to their own doomsday. Those "puritan" clerics will be wiped out from the face of the earth like the dinosaurs, sooner or later.

Ed Kristian (not verified) — Wed, 11/26/2008 - 7:53am

I totally agree with Lanunkota's comments. The Malaysian religious rights have gone to the deep end to the point of no return to a civil world of common understanding. So much for organized religion spewing hate and intolerance. If Indonesia wants to enjoy freedom, democracy and peace then separate foreign and local religious rights from meddling in the welfare of the people and the state.

BleedingGum — Wed, 11/26/2008 - 3:11am

Practicing Yoga IS NOT practicing Terrorism.

What is wrong with these people?

The BleedingGum

Rara (not verified) — Tue, 11/25/2008 - 6:05am

mmm... in this case, blame the so-called fatwa council for being narrow-minded, not the religion itself. there is nothing in either qur'an nor hadist that said that muslims cannot be 'practicing yoga'. neither also about 'terrorizing' or 'not respecting the non-muslims'.

islam puritanism is just one step away from being extreme, and it's saddening to see it's growing, just because moderate muslims have lesser means to express their views. puritanism, extremism, and conservatism have been supported by massive funds flowing from oil countries who called themselves as 'muslim countries', while they might be just supporting an 'ism' because it's beneficial for their political agendas. like this malaysian fatwa council, who could gain more influence among the 'old' generation of malaysians who are afraid to change.

Lanunkota (not verified) — Tue, 11/25/2008 - 5:01am

Please tell me about it.....Muslim Ullamas are so paranoid that they fear even their own shadow.....Only GOD knows what the messenger of Allah had said or did during his time some 1400 years ago but what was written and said about him in the hadis after his death are all pure heresy which had brought division among Muslims themselves. This is all due to ego and ignorance. I think the world can be a peaceful haven if there are no such people calling themselves guardian of their religion.

StepUp (not verified) — Mon, 11/24/2008 - 12:13pm

"Malaysia's National Fatwa Council", "has the authority to rule over how Muslims practice their faith" - Talk about a religious dictatorship!! A ban from practicing Yoga because the Indian physical exercise contains elements of Hinduism and could corrupt Muslims?? How PARANOID, DEFENSIVE and AFRAID are Muslims? Really? If their religion is in danger of being SABOTAGED by a Yoga practitioner, then what does that say about the religion itself? Seriously people, think for yourselves!!

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