Why did the issue of Islam and Yoga surfaced. Malaysiakini.

People,
Why would the non-Muslim argue about something that does not have anything to do with them? I'm a non-Muslim, I studied Yoga for many years and still practice it. It doesn't bothered me if a Muslim can't do Yoga. Yoga is good for the mind, body and soul. Do you think we have millions of Muslims in Malaysia doing Yoga? The numbers are too small to take this issue so seriously but knowing this why should the FATWA make in Haram so the discussion begins.

It is not only the Hindu that are objecting to it but also the christian and Muslims them self. Why? Because, Malaysia is a country compromised of so many races and religion. Many of us have a Malay breakfast, an Indian lunch and a Chinese dinner and maybe a mamak stall supper. We visit each others houses for parties, functions and celebrations. So when you start to segregate certain cultural bonding with other culture's you start to become non Malaysian. My friends in China and Hong Kong cannot believe we cook and eat other races food. I myself can cook many kinds of dishes. Chinese, Malay and English. That is what that makes us unique and proud to be Malaysians.

The possibility for other cultural banding's to segregated the Muslims from the other is what that worries the rest of the Non-Muslim Malaysians. Nobody intends to criticise the FATWA but it's reasoning behind the ban does not stand strongly enough. How can one worry about Yoga being the reason for a Muslim to loose direction or give up his religion. The FATWA should have given a more descriptive guidelines which part of yoga should a Muslim should not practice. Not just banned the whole entire thing.

Nobody telling the Fatwa is wrong. But taking an Indian cultural practice like Yoga which is taught not only in Asia but in Europe and America with a great deal of success and to say it is wrong for a Muslim to practice is questionable. Yoga has many sections to it. But the most commercialised one is the Exercise and Meditation. For a Muslim. It's hard for those who are already practising it and have reaped the benefit of it to just let go of it. Under the Law should not and cannot practice something that is banned by the FATWA. Under Section 9 of the Syariah Criminal Offences ( Federal Territories ) Act, 1997 provides :

Any person who acts in contempt of religious authority or defies, disobeys or disputes the orders or directions of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong as the Head of the religion of Islam, the Majlis or the Mufti, expressed or given by way of fatwa, shall be guilty of an offence and shall on conviction be liable to a fine not exceeding three thousand ringgit or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years or to both.

section-9-syariah-criminal-offences-ft-act-1997

Section 12 of the same Act provides :

Any person who gives, propagates or disseminates any opinion concerning Islamic teachings, Islamic Law or any issue, contrary to any fatwa for the time being in force in the Federal Territories shall be guilty of an offence and shall on conviction be liable to a fine not exceeding three thousand ringgit or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years or to both.

section-12-syariah-criminal-offences-ft-act-1997

Modern thinking Malaysian will surely have alot to say about this. That's why we should have a fully functionable Inter Faith Committee that can discuss and correct certain decision before putting it out. It can reduce the wrong perception that it causes for the other religion groups.

By Pathmanck

Pic:grahamking