It is always interesting to hear about Malaysian news through foreign news channels. However, it is even more interesting to find it as one of the top stories on Reddit. According to the BBC, “The Islamic authorities have issued a ruling, known as a fatwa, instructing the country’s Muslims to avoid yoga because of its Hindu roots.” Personally, I have nothing against the practice of Yoga nor JAKIM. Further reading on this subject does reveal some truths in what is being said.
According to Wikipedia: Yoga refers to traditional physical and mental disciplines originating in India; to the goal achieved by those disciplines; and to one of the six orthodox (Ästika) schools of Hindu philosophy. I think therein lies the problem, which is one of definition. Yoga refers to the exercises, the goal of said exercises and a school of Hinduism.
However, before we begin to criticise the Malaysian religious authorities on their short-sightedness, we should understand a few things. Like Christianity, Islam is an evangelical or prostelysing religion. This means that it spreads by direct marketing. So, it has to brand its competition as sub-par and encourage customers loyalty by tying them down. So, it should come as no surprise that such an action was taken and the reasons should be plenty apparent.
If a religion requires that its followers stick to the one true way without question, the only way to ensure that its followers stick to it is by enforcement as the said religion cannot logically explain things away. So, when something that is foreign and contradictory comes along, said religion would need to brand it as deviant in order to keep its followers away from it. Otherwise, it would risk losing its followers as time passes and it will ultimately vanish as a religion (along with all its accrued benefits).
Personally, I think that the action taken by the religious authorities is not only understandable, but also unavoidable. Everyone should have seen this coming from a mile away. I don’t see it as wrong per se, because from the point-of-view of the religious authorities, their hands are pretty much tied in this matter. Yoga is a religious practice and they cannot possibly issue a fatwa encouraging the deviant practices of false religions.
However, none of this takes the fun out of the statement issued by the chairman of the fatwa council: “There are many other forms of exercise that Muslims can partake especially when the religion promotes healthy living and lifestyle. Performing prayers for example is a good form of exercise.” I just cannot believe that he said that with a straight face. While I do agree that prayers tax the mind and body, it isn’t quite the same thing as doing physical exercises.
Sybreon Ones Nought 
Haha…’FAT’-WA can do what they want….as long as they don’t close down gyms and heath centers. Good to be on international news, give some interesting things to talk about with my angmo friends. They seemed curious as every time our news made it to BBC, it’s always something err… ‘special’ and ‘one of its kind’.
I doubt that the business at gyms and health centres will be affected much. Supposedly, the number of muslims in yoga classes are few. After doing a little more research, you will find that the decision is actually nothing special at all. It is more or less a natural consequence of their religious beliefs (which are incidentally similar to Christianity).
Well, to them (angmos) it is (‘special’), not to me. From the reactions that we are getting from the muslims in Malaysia these few days, it does seem like quite a number of them do go for yoga.
Someone please throw some light on Religious Sexual practice, Maybe the Fatwa might consider banning sex for the muslim.
Soon we will have no more muslim !!! HA HA HA
C’mon wake up Malaysian !
When you do a stomach Crunch in the gym, you are trying to burn your stomach muscle, but if you do that in the mosque, you are praying
Why can’t they see ?, if you stretch, walk, eat like a Hindu, it would not make you one
Maybe what the Malaysian muslim could do is to rename the yoga to “maga” purely for health to satisfy the Fatwa and save their reputation.
Just like changing the Red to Black to cool down the BULL !
I think that they mentioned in the original article that the ban is for doing more than just stretches. Some yoga classes are just pure play physical while there are others that stress the spiritual aspect. In fact, the spiritual aspect is often part of the marketing package as it is a major differentiating factor. These are the classes that may be banned.