The Day I Expected More From YOU

You don't have to applaud or cheer in a rally for me,
but is it too much to ask for, not screaming 'we are AS shallow and short-sighted' out loud?
If WE let this happen, in no time Malaysian Muslims won't be allowed
to go to gyms, cinemas and even eat at Indian-owned banana leaf rice places
by the looks of it!

For the hundreds of anonymous comments labeling me with
'Ninie Ahmad murtad kerana tidak dengar kata mufti dan menyamakan solat dengan yoga',
I just have to come out with this disclaimer UNTUK MEREKA YANG TAK FAHAM BAHASA (INGGERIS, mungkin):
I did not write the attached article in the previous post
but if you have PERSONALLY EXPERIENCED YOGA,
you will most likely agree with the Yoga And Islam article.

That said,
1. Yoga is NOT a substitute for Islam,
2. Solat is a Muslim's responsibility
but exercising / eating right / taking care of one's body and health
are human's responsibility
3. Yoga is NOT a religion and YOU are not God

and
if you can't agree with me on those
or have anything better to share than this article below,
kindly direct your thoughts to Berita Harian or The Star.
Or your own blog for that matter.

The Day You Gotta Be Kidding Me

After trousers, Malaysia Muslim body targets yoga

From Reuter's Life! (29 October 2008)

KUALA LUMPUR - Not content with banning women from wearing trousers, Malaysia's top Islamic council now wants a ban on yoga, according to a report on state news agency Bernama.

The National Fatwa Council's Deputy Director-General Othman Mustapha told reporters after a seminar on Islamic jurisprudence on Thursday that the announcement would be made soon.

Professor Zakaria Stapa of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia's Islamic Studies Centre told the seminar on Wednesday that Muslims who had taken up yoga should stop practising as it could damage their faith, Bernama said.

Last week the Fatwa Council decreed that tomboyish behaviour by girls, including wearing trousers, was immoral as it may lead to the practise of lesbian sex. Gay sex is prohibited in this country of 27 million people where over half of the population is Muslim.

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Fatwa on yoga out soon

From The Star (29 October 2008)

PENANG: The National Fatwa Council will come out with a ruling relating to yoga exercise soon. The announcement would be made by the council’s chairman, Prof Datuk Dr Abdul Shukor Husin, said Deputy Director-General (Operations) of the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (Jakim) Othman Mustapha. He told reporters this Wednesday after opening the two-day seminar on Islamic Jurisprudence and Eternal Islamic Thinking at Universiti Sains Malaysia jointly organised by the Islamic Studies Division of the university’s Human Knowledge Study Centre and Jakim here.

On Tuesday, lecturer Prof Zakaria Stapa of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia’s Islamic Studies Centre advised Muslims who have taken up yoga to stop practising it for fear that it could deviate their belief. - Bernama

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Senaman didakwa boleh memesong akidah umat Islam

From Berita Harian (30 Oktober 2008)

GEORGETOWN: Majlis Fatwa Kebangsaan sudah membuat keputusan berhubung senaman yoga yang dipercayai boleh memesongkan akidah umat Islam jika mengamalkan senaman itu.

Timbalan Ketua Pengarah (Operasi) Jabatan Kemajuan Islam Malaysia (Jakim), Othman Mustapha, berkata keputusan berkenaan dijangka diumumkan dalam masa terdekat.
Difahamkan, isu mengenai amalan yoga dibincangkan pada mesyuarat Majlis Fatwa Kebangsaan di Kota Bharu, Kelantan, baru-baru ini. Bagaimanapun, beliau enggan mengulas lanjut berhubung keputusan Majlis Fatwa Kebangsaan itu.

"Majlis Fatwa Kebangsaan sudah ada keputusan mengenai perkara itu dan pengumuan akan dibuat," katanya kepada pemberita selepas merasmikan Seminar Fiqh dan Pemikiran Islam Lestari di Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) di sini, semalam. Beliau diminta mengulas kenyataan Pensyarah Fakulti Pengajian Islam Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), Prof Zakaria Stapa, menasihati orang Islam yang mengamalkan senaman itu supaya menghentikannya.

Yoga, sejenis senaman harian yang kebanyakan pergerakannya berdasarkan unsur dalam agama Hindu, dipercayai boleh memesongkan akidah umat Islam jika mengamalkannya. "Yoga yang berasal daripada masyarakat Hindu, menggabungkan unsur keagamaan dan penyembuhan jiwa. Mereka mengamalkan yoga kerana percaya boleh menyatukan mereka dengan tuhan," kata Prof Zakaria.

Yoga, amalan kesihatan yang diperkenalkan sekitar 3,300 Sebelum Masihi, dikatakan dapat membantu melambatkan proses penuaan, mengurangkan risiko diabetes, darah tinggi, lelah dan penyakit berkaitan jantung. Sementara itu, Mufti Johor, Datuk Nooh Gadut berkata senaman yoga perlu diharamkan kerana bercanggah dengan akidah, syariat serta akhlak Islam dan wajib ditinggalkan oleh individu yang sudah mengamalkannya serta segera bertaubat kepada Allah kerana sudah melakukan perkara yang salah di sisi Islam.

"Bukan saja pengamal yoga, malah pengusaha pusat kecergasan yang beragama Islam juga perlu menghentikan perkhidmatan senaman ini kerana ia bercanggah dengan Islam dan boleh memesongkan akidah. "Keputusan mengharamkan senaman ini juga tidak perlu dipertikaikan lagi kerana ia bertujuan menjaga kesucian agama dan akidah umat Islam," katanya ketika dihubungi Berita Harian di sini, semalam. Nooh berkata, badan bukan kerajaan (NGO), pihak swasta dan kerajaan dinasihatkan supaya merujuk kepada pihak berkuasa agama lebih awal jika ingin menganjurkan acara menyerupai.

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Yoga-ta be kidding me.