http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2008/11/25/mui-investigates-yoga-tells-muslims-suspend-practicing.html
MUI investigates yoga, tells Muslims to suspend practicing The Jakarta Post , Jakarta | Tue, 11/25/2008 8:20 PM | National The Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) is telling Indonesian Muslims to stop practicing yoga while the council investigates the practice after public concern rose when a Malaysian top Muslim body banned the practice. MUI head of edict affairs said Tuesday the council would invite yoga experts to explain the practice within the next two weeks. "We will let them explain it to us before we issue an edict on the practice," he said as quoted by Tempointeraktif.com The council plans to study whether yoga includes rituals, actions or teachings that run counter to Islamic teachings. Last week Malaysia's National Fatwa Council, which has the authority to rule over how Muslims practice their faith, issued an edict banning Muslims from practicing yoga, saying the Indian physical exercise contains spiritual elements including chanting and Hindu worship practices that could corrupt Muslims. Many analysts have said the edict reflects the growing strain of conservatism in Malaysia. The majority of Malaysians are Muslim. (dre)
