Tomboys, Yoga...what next?
Coming soon: Fatwa on yoga
The National Fatwa Council will be issuing a ruling soon relating to yoga exercise, which is deemed to be deviationist in nature for the Muslims.
An announcement on the matter is expected to be made soon by the fatwa council's chairperson Prof Dr Abdul Shukor Husin.
This was revealed by the deputy director-general of the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (Jakim) Othman Mustapha, reported Bernama today.
Yesterday, UKM lecturer Prof Zakaria Stapa advised Muslims who have taken up yoga - a widely popular exercise which has its roots to India and Hinduism - to stop practising it for fear that it could deviate them from their belief.
"Yoga originated from the Hindu community and it combines spiritual as well as their religious aspects. They believe it brings them closer to their god," he was reported as saying in Berita Harian today.
Zakaria was reported to have said that more Muslims were resorting to yoga exercise to find a balance in their hectic lifestyle.
He added that they should instead apply the Islamic teachings such as prayers to find peace and good health.
"If the Muslims want a healthy body, prayers are the right choice... why must we find alternate ways... a single mistake can deviate our teachings as yoga movements follow the style and tradition of Hinduism," he was reported as saying.
Ban on tomboys
The perils of yoga to the Muslims is learnt to have been discussed at the recently held fatwa council meeting in Kota Baru, Kelantan.
At the fatwa council meeting, the religious scholars have also decided to issue a fatwa against females from dressing or behaving like men and engaging in lesbian sex.
Council chairperson Abdul Shukor had said that many young women admired the way men dress, behave and socialise, violating human nature and denying their feminity.
"It is unacceptable to see women who love the male lifestyle including dressing in the clothes men wear," Abdul Shukor was quoted as saying.
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I'm just waiting for the National Fatwa Council to come out with fatwas against corruption, violence against women, cheating etc. Instead they have these.
Do they know anything about yoga or is this a classic case of reacting out of fear and ignorance? Yoga may have spiritual roots but most of us do it for the exercise, both for the mind and body. It helps you to focus and in fact helps you to focus when you do your prayers. The one thing it does not do is make you want to beat up anyone, call people nasty names or issue fatwas on things you don't understand.
If prayers are the only thing you need to be healthy, why are there so many unhealthy Muslims? Is this an indication that they don't pray? If all you need do is pray, why do sports or eat healthily?
If they have ever found any Muslim who has converted out solely because of yoga, they should produce evidence instead of speculating on the 'weakness' of our faith. If it is 'weak' at all, it is because people like the Fatwa Council have done nothing to make it strong, constantly weakening it through fear and ignorance.
And what is this thing about 'dressing in clothes men wear'? If I wear a pantsuit (which incidentally covers very well), am I dressing like a man? If I cut my hair short because it is easier to upkeep, is that forbidden? Will we now have the Fatwa Council scan the fashion magazines and make rulings about which clothes are 'masculine' and which are 'feminine'? (And what is there to admire about 'the male lifestyle' when males are represented by the men on the Fatwa Council?)
I know, I know...someone is going to tell me to shut up because apparently I don't know my religion. Well, that is a matter of opinion. The Islam that I believe in is just and fair, is compassionate, loving and peaceful.Someone tell me that's the wrong Islam.
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