another interesting article about Muslim vs Yoga..

Another interesting article that I found on the web regarding the Muslims vs yoga, and I would like to share it here with you guys.. One thing I would like to highlight here is, I've been joining yoga for a few months and there is no chanting or praying in Hinduism at all in the class.. by the way, is it siting in Lotus pose consider part of Hinduism or Buddhism.. haha!!

Malaysia may ban yoga for Muslims

KUALA LUMPUR - Muslims in Malaysia may be barred from the ancient practice of yoga if they engage in Hindu "religious elements" during the exercise, a top Islamic cleric said Wednesday.

Harussani Zakaria, a controversial cleric from the northern Perak state, said the government-backed National Fatwa Council would soon release a decree, or "fatwa", which would decide if Muslims were allowed to practise yoga.

"If it involves any faith or religious elements it is definitely not permissible but if it is just a form of exercise that is all right," Harussani told AFP.

"Muslims cannot practice yoga in its original form because it involves another religion," he said in response to a call to ban Muslims from engaging in yoga.

Islam is the official religion of Malaysia, where more than 60 percent of the population of 27 million are Muslim Malays who practice a conservative brand of the religion.

The practice of yoga, a popular stress-buster in Kuala Lumpur, dates back thousands of years in India, where it was a favorite of holy men before becoming hugely popular internationally, especially among western celebrities.

Zakaria Stapa, a professor in the Islamic faculty of the National University of Malaysia, had called on Muslims to stop practising yoga, saying it could cause them to "deviate from their faith", news reports said on Wednesday.

Muslims in Malaysia practised yoga not just for exercise but also as part of the growing urban lifestyle and involved "chanting mantras while in various positions", he said.

"Why should we look for other alternatives to exercise and search for peace? Yoga could cause (Muslims) to stray from their faith because its movements are according to the style and traditions of Hinduism," he said.

The fatwa council, one of Malaysia's highest Islamic bodies, last Friday banned women from dressing or behaving like men and engaging in lesbian sex, saying it was forbidden by the religion.

Interesting article to share "Peeved by yoga ruling"..

My colleague told me on last Friday that she saw an article the National Fatwa Council has commented and making noise about Muslim practicing yoga because of yoga is from India and they considered that yoga is something to do with Hinduism.. as you know they are super sensitive when there is something to do with religion..

Anyway, the first thing in my mind is - OMG!! what the hell is in their mind.. anyone of them practice yoga before?? I bet none of them.. and how they know yoga is directly link to Hinduism?? and not focus mainly on the physical aspect of the practice..

I have found an interesting article wrote by a muslim yoga practitioner on the web regarding this issue.. I hope you guys will enjoy reading it.. you have done a great job muslim yoga practitioner..

I was shocked and in awe reading your report “National Fatwa Council to make a ruling on Yoga” on Thursday. Before I state my case, I think there are some questions that need to be answered.

> Why is it that during all this time, this body has shown no interest in coming out with any ruling on this practice as it is an ancient practice that has been around for centuries?

> Isn’t it strange that after much commercialisation and more people realise that healthy living is the best way to go, a ruling must be made to forbid us from practising yoga?

> What is the basis of their allegation that yoga focuses on spiritual aspects more than anything else?

> What chanting and mantra are they talking about? I have been doing Yoga for months and never during any of those times did my teachers teach us anything close to mantras or any kind of chanting whatsoever.

What yoga is to me, and I am sure to most people who practises it, is a healthy way of exercise for healthy living, similar to going to a gym or doing exercise on their own.

It is a more preferred activity because we don’t have to run for miles or join expensive fitness clubs just to keep ourselves healthy.

Even without indulging in the spiritual aspect, one can find peace of mind through relaxation and breathing exercises when the body is calmed. It even teaches you to be more patient and be tolerant especially in a stressful city like Kuala Lumpur.

The hectic lifestyle, awful driving experience and endless traffic jams, which the authorities have failed to solve, only causes more stress to city folks and yoga is one of the ways to release the stress.

So don’t tell us to stop doing what we can do in maintaining our health. Is it fair to judge and ban people from indulging in such healthy hobbies just because some people think it could deviate Muslims from their faith.

It takes one who actually practises yoga to know whether there is any truth in such claims. I wonder if any of the people concerned has ever tried yoga in his lifetime.

I am also annoyed that the National Fatwa Council thinks so lowly of Muslims in this country to conclude that we are unable to differentiate what we can and cannot do.

Yoga has been much commercialised ever since it was introduced to the West. The spiritual part of yoga is not something that is normally taught to students because the teachers focus mainly on the physical aspect of the practice – unless one chooses to learn more of the spiritual aspects.

I believe there are many important issues that need our attention besides something as trivial as this.

MUSLIM YOGA PRACTITIONER,

Ampang, Kuala Lumpur.

10,000 steps a day..!!

Do you really count how many steps you walk a day?? I bet none of us really count right..?? I been heard from doctor that actually walking is a very good exercise for our heart.. especially for senior people who may not be able to jog due to their physical condition..

I saw this short notice in one of the pharmacy that day, just to share.. we should walk 10,000 steps a day to take care our heart and maintain its functionality.. I was a bit doubt that, how many of us did that?? because 10,000 steps is a lot ha..!! so I start to count the steps from the pharmacy walk back to my office, guess what..?? I have reached quarter of 10,000 steps.. I walk a lot everyday when I go to work in the morning, lunch time, after gym.. so definitely I have 10,000 steps a day.. yo! yo!

Walking is the most easier exercise that we can do.. but I know that some people are just too lazy to walk, even a very short distance they will drive.. why not try to walk more especially for those people who have no time to exercise.. 10,000 steps a day it sounds big!! but actually it is not hard to achieve.. let's walk!!

little tip to lose weight..

I bet we saw a lot of articles about weight control by diet in newspaper or magazine.. recently I saw this one in a magazine and would like to share it with those who wanna lose weight.. the little tip here is >> 3 days continuously in a week just take apples and drink water and strictly no other foods.. on the 4th day(the first day you start to eat normal), start to eat something light and don't take high contents of calorie and fat foods.. based on the article, you will lose 3-5kg in a month..

Sounds impossible for me, if I follow the plan, I don't think I have energy to come to work and not to say go to gym and workout.. maybe can try if I am talking 3 days off and just stay at home for DVD and in bed.. haha!! so far, still no intention to try that.. for those who are interested.. all the best and good luck..!!

the HEALTH CONSULTANT in my office..

This lady I bet is in her late 40s or maybe early 50s.. she is my colleague from another department.. basically her jobs are not so busy, her main role is to download and prepare some market rates to the risk management people.. so basically she is quite free in office..

So when she is free she would like to share her health knowledge with others, especially to those Malay clarks who willing to listen to her.. but most of the Chinese colleagues included me usually don't really entertain her, so she also not interested to share with us anymore.. haha!! so bad ha.. chinese colleagues.. wakaka..!! that day I was nearby her partition to do some works and I heard that that she is telling other she only eat one particular type of salt and only take few type of fishes.. OMG!! even salt also have to be selected.. what human is she..??

Another funny fact is even my GM also known she is the only person in our office who don't heat foods in microwave.. haha!! I noticed that she brings her own prepared breakfast and lunch everyday.. of coz she needs to because outside foods don't cook with that particular salt that she eat..

I know that we have to watch what are we eating for our health, especially person like me who eat outside often.. but not till so extreme like her.. where got fun in our life if we only eat our own cook foods.. right??

She has been awarded the title of 'health consultant' in my office by most of us.. congratulation!!