Tuesday 25 February 2014

Yoga: engaging in shirk or not?





I've recently dabbled into YOGA. There was a free dvd in a health magazine and I tried it out.

I found it quite relaxing and calming, unwinding my tense muscles after a long day, in a different way then regular exercise. All the deep breathing and pausing had a calming effect on my impatient self.

The challenges of the poses, listening to the instructor, trying to balance myself - all had a profound impact in getting my monkey-mind into focus. It was mindfulness in its true form. I could think of nothing else except what I was doing at that very moment. What's more is that afterwards, my body felt light and more flexible, removing the day's tightness from my muscles.

However something bothered me a little: The instructor referred to certain series of poses as sun salutations. Immediately I didn't like the sound of that. It sounded like worshipping or praising the sun! And when I think of the poses, they seem like prostrations and offerings. There was one particular pose, no 3 in the picture below, which the instructor said you could put your hands on your shins with a flat back  - felt like I was in rukuh. At first that felt great because it just goes to show the possible health benefits that movements of salaah could have. But what was I making rukuh to?

Since there was no chanting of ohm's or other words, and since all the instructor did was pose and tell us when to breathe, I continued with it.

But the question still nagged me - does practising the sun salutations as exercise with intention of exercise and meditation, still amount to shirk or lead to shirk?

Before we continue, let's clarify what shirk is. Shirk is the association of partners with Allah (SWT). Since our very identity as a Muslim is to believe in one God, one Creator, one Sustainer, one Provider, one Most Merciful, one Protector etc.. then anything we take as a replacement for Allah (Swt) for any reason, leads to or amounts to associating partners with Allah, shirk.


The series of poses for "sun salutation" in yoga
Allah (Swt) is the ultimate Source. Whatever we want or need, it comes from Allah (Swt). Shirk is tricky and a great tool for Shaytaan in slowly misleading people. It's tricky because it is so easy to fall into it. The moment I put something above Allah or equal to Allah or obey over and above Allah (swt), like a person, a way of life, a need or desire, wealth, freedom, philosophies etc then I am being lead towards associating partners with Allah. A sure path of loss in this world and the next.

As always, there are differing opinions on this. A few years ago a fatwa was issued in Malaysia urging yoga to be banned for its associations with hinduism. Before I cry and mourn the loss of a newfound exercise, let me think of what I'm holding onto and what I'm walking away from.

I'm holding onto a calming and meditative form of exercise, with healing benefits for illness as it stimulates the part of the nervous system which counteracts stress and disease-causing effects in the body.

I may be walking away from Allah, taking a tiny step further away from Allah instead of getting closer towards Allah. Allah - The ultimate Source of health, tranquility and salvation in this life and the next.

That's not a difficult choice! If I give up yoga for Allah, there is no loss! In fact, I gain more.

This was my choice already before I set out to find answers from the great modern oracle: Google. (sorry couldn't help that one - Google has become like an oracle. Type in a question, get an answer)

Links to articles I found insightful:

1) Yoga is haraam: http://islamqa.info/en/101591

2) Yoga is halal only without the chanting and spiritual matters: http://muslimmatters.org/2008/12/24/breathe-in-breathe-out-ohmmm/

I guess I'm with number 2; yoga is halal without the religious chanting and spiritual context.

But I'm wary of yoga now.

To be a true master, you need to delve into something completely. I like to master crafts and activities. So this means I need to be mindful of my restrictions in practising yoga. I could never be a true yogi, which in the first article means to try and unite with the spirit and God, seeing all religions, including Islam, as incomplete truths. 

Yoga, tai chi and other ancient forms of martial arts and exercises often have a spiritual foundation which may be contrary to believing in the oneness of Allah, leading to shirk.

In practicing yoga and other ancient forms of exercise and meditation, while attaining mindfulness and inner peace, we should be mindful too of the fact that it is best to restrict these practices to the exercise form only. 

In this case, western forms of yoga, which is physically based and only focuses on poses and breathing leaving out the spiritual element, may be the best one to practice. Some are really useful for stretching hip flexors, great for women!


However, I'm a little put off by the sun salutations part of yoga. I can get the same mindfulness from regular exercise just by continuously challenging myself, adding weights for example, trying new routines and sports. I hear pilates, which involves stretching and breathing too, is similar to yoga with no religious affiliation or names like "sun salutations". 

Good intentions or not, these ancient exercises are meant to touch your soul, move it (to where?), and the poses have a purpose inclined to that spiritual belief. Just like prostration in salah has a purpose of humbling ourselves in our natural position before Allah, a position acknowledging His Superiority over us. It humbles the soul, moves it towards believing in one God.

Letting go of yoga completely may not be so bad. That would be ironic, since yoga teaches to LET GO of what does not serve you.


I leave you with this mindful ayat: