The Yoga Duality

What is yoga? According to Oxford Dictionary, yoga is

1. Hindu system of meditation and asceticism designed to effect reunion with the universal spirit.
2. system of physical exercises and breathing control used in yoga.

The National Fatwa council has declared that the yoga practice which involves three elements of physical movements, worshipping and chanting as haram (prohibited) in Islam.

So based on the definition and the fatwa restated above, it is safe to say that the recent prohibition of yoga fatwa will only apply to yoga as defined in the first meaning, but not to yoga defined in the second one.

And, as I crawled the internet in search for more information on yoga, I stumbled upon this page with the following statement:

Yoga is not simply a physical exercise, it is rather a form of worship to the sun instead of Allaah.

Collins defines yoga as: 'A Hindu system of philosophy aiming at the mystical union of the self with the Supreme Being:- a state of complete awareness and tranquility through certain physical and mental exercises'.

It is widespread and well known in India since early ages. The original name of this sport in Sanskrit is (Sastanga Soria Namaskar) which means "prostrating for the sun on eight places of the body". This sport has 10 known states among which the fifth stage where the person lays face down on earth touching the ground with his: both hands, the nose, the chest, both knees and the toes. By this one realizes prostrating for the sun on eight organs of the body.


The yoga exercises start with the first state which constitutes a bowing to the worshipped, i.e. the sun. These exercises must be accompanied by a number of words and phrases, which state clearly the worshipping of the sun and the orientation towards it. This is called (Mantra). It is said in a soft voice and regular tone and pitch. These expressions include the 12 names of the sun and here are some of the things they say:
1) Mitraya Nama which means: I bow my head for you O! Friend of everyone.
2) Rafayer Nama which means: I bow my head for you who is glorified by everybody.
3) Suria Nama meaning: I bow my head for you O! Guider of everyone.
4) Maritchay Nama meaning: I bow my head for you O! Forcer of the disease out.
5) Safitir Nama meaning: I bow my head for you O! Giver of life.
6) Bhasakaria Nama meaning: I bow my head for you O! Source of light.

Some of them add other expressions like:
Um Hram, Um Hraim, Um Hrum, …etc. This means: O! God.

When the Muslims were fighting Hindus, they used to say: Allaahu Akbar and the Hindus used to say: Um Hram (seeking Help from their idol). Longman dictionary defines "Mantra" as "a word or sound that is repeated as a prayer or to help people Meditate in the Hindu or Buddhist religion".

So, we conclude that yoga is not a kind of sport, it is rather an atheist form of worship that the Muslim should not indulge in under any circumstances. Some might wonder: what if the person practices the physical exercises without facing the sun or repeating the mentioned expressions?

The answer is: "If this sport becomes free of atheist expressions and free of facing the sun, bowing for it and greeting it, it is no longer yoga. It becomes some simple physical exercises practiced by all people and there is no harm to practice it provided two things are met:
First, re-ordering the exercises in a way different than the one in yoga and introducing some new situations in it to avoid similarity with yoga.
Second, avoiding practising these exercises in the times the Hindus observe it like at sunrise. The evidence for these two conditions is the narration in which the Prophet said: "Pray the morning prayer and then abstain from prayer until sunrise and the sun has completely risen, for it rises between the horns of Satan. That is when the unbelievers prostrate to it." [Al-Bukhaari and Muslim]

So, since it is forbidden to perform the prayer at sunset or sunrise to avoid imitating the disbelievers, then doing some other practices that disbelievers devote themselves to do at fixed times is more entitled to be done in different times.

Know also that what some people advertise that yoga brings tranquility and calm is not peculiar to yoga. It is general to anyone who keeps on repeating innovative, polytheist expressions or words with the presence of mind and the concentration on something like a picture.

The scholars mention that the devils land on these people filling their minds and hearts with imaginations and illusions, making them feel a false tranquility which some followers of innovative ways and forms of worship, publicize.

In fact, the true tranquility of the soul and its purity are attained by following the Sunnah and adhering to it as well as remembering Allaah in the way He mentioned in His Book and in the books of Sunnah.
Allaah says (interpretation of meaning): {… Verily, in the remembrance of Allaah do hearts find rest.}[13:28]. Allaah knows best.

So given the deep connection that yoga has in Hinduism, the recent decision taken by the National Fatwa Council to prohibit yoga which involves three elements of physical movements, worshiping and chanting, was indeed a wise one.

However, given the amazing curative and therapeutic ability of yoga as claimed by its practitioners, I think it is fine for us Muslims to incorporate the physical exercise and breathing technique performed in yoga without accepting the belief system that comes with it and omission of Hindu acts of worship such as the Sun Salutation, in which practitioners are supposed to praise and worship the sun.

And instead of chanting mantras in Sanskrit or Indian language, Muslim practitioners should make Dzikr, remembrance of Allah in performing their exercise and muscle stretches. This is not a case of syncretism or fusion of two religions, which would be spiritually invalid (click here). It is however, a set of techniques and skill to enhance the appreciation of one's faith. Indeed, many Muslim yoga practitioners find their prayers more soothing since performing yoga.


Nevertheless, I believe the controversies surrounding the fatwa would not have ensued and erupted to such a degree if the Council took some dedicated air-time over the television and radio, and also full statements on the newspapers, instead of just making impromptu statements, to explain how they have reached the conclusion to prohibit yoga with elements of worship.

"O Allah, we ask for Your protection from committing shirk (associating partners to Allah) to You in our consciousness, and we ask for Your forgiveness from anything which we do not know and of that we are not aware of."