No yoga for you.

A ban on Yoga?? Worshipping the sun is against religion?? Unfortunately, that was the news that Muslims in Malaysia got last weekend. Of course, many people were confused, irritated (yet another harmless activity made illegal for Muslims!), bewildered... Even the SIS is starting to think that the National Fatwa Council (NFC) has it in for them, and were disappointed with the edict. Then our former PM says not to make the issue a religious one, because the ban has nothing to do with religion. I think he missed the point that this is intrinsically a religious issue: how can you say that it is being banned because of it's ties to Hinduism, but at the same time it is not a religious issue?

I understand that Islam is our national religion, but every Malaysian is, constitutionally, free to adopt whatever religion they wish to. Well, this seems to be the case for any religion except Islam. You do not hear of Hindus being told not to practice taichi or qigong, do you? Yet, anytime something comes up that is perceived as even the smallest threat to their perception of Islam, they is declared 'haram' (prohibited).

Our current PM has the brains to say that Muslims may practice yoga that does not involve chanting or other Hindu connections. However, the chairman of the NFC had said:

“We discourage Muslims to do yoga as a form of exercise because it will ultimately lead to religious worshipping and chanting which is against Islam.

“In Islam, one must not do things which can erode one’s aqidah or faith. Doing yoga, even just the physical movements is a step towards an erosion of one’s faith in the religion, hence Muslims should avoid it."

Apparently there had been 'growing concern' about whether practising yoga would be inconsistent with practising Islam. From whom, you might ask. From the men who sit on that council who do no exercise, much less practise yoga and know the health benefits of doing so, they have claimed to study the history and philosophy of yoga. Mind, this would only have been from a theoretical sense, and they would not have gone to a yoga class in one of the many fitness centres around Malaysia to attend or even witness a class. Because if they did, they'd realise that in commercial classes, the form of yoga that is taught concentrates on breathing and strengthening the body. Exercise, you know?

Now, Muslims who practice yoga (the majority of them women) who wish to continue practicing yoga would not be able to do so without the nagging feeling that what they are doing is prohibited in Malaysia (if all states adopt the edict). So congratulations, NFC, you have successfully come up with yet another mindboggling edict, and possibly one-upped yourselves from your last one of banning tomboyism.