Being a muslim can we practice yoga? … 
yes
I was told no. I did not argue. The reason given was that as muslims we are not suppose to emulate the kafirs and not partake of anything any rituals that pertain to kafir beliefs. Yoga is integeral to and embedded within hindu religion. I can argue for or against the proposition, but since I was not going to do it anyway, I just let it go. I haven't given it much thought. But it would be interesting to hear from someone who is more conversant with the issue.
Re: Yoga
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*Originally posted by batameez: *
Being a muslim can we practice yoga? ... :)
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I think the purpose of Yoga is to get peace of mind, be able to keep control on focus, etc. If you say salaat (as a Muslim) properly you will not need any other exercise to get peace of mind, control of focus, etc.
Yogo is good for your health. I don't see how Yoga interferes with a person's religious beleifs.
I Yoga, have done it for over a decade, at least 3 times a week, and when in mood I do twice a day. It can be addictive. It is stretching flexing and some new forms of Yoga are actually very strenuous (I don’t like that, e.g., Bikram Yoga). It is like ‘power yoga’ which actually defeats the purpose of it being practiced to reach the tranquility. I don’t know whoever come up with it being anti-Islamic or anything even remotely that. If you really want to learn more about it, go and sign up for a class. Usually it is 20 dollars for a one-hour session.
I yoga from Labor Day weekends (1st weekend in Sep) to last weekend in January every year. I only do it on Sundays from Noon to about sixish and Monday nights from 8 to elevenish. It relaxes me a lot.
Re: Re: Yoga
I agree with the brother ...
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*Originally posted by Changez_like: *
I think the purpose of Yoga is to get peace of mind, be able to keep control on focus, etc. If you say salaat (as a Muslim) properly you will not need any other exercise to get peace of mind, control of focus, etc.
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If you acquire khushoo (consciousness of God) in prayer, then there is nothing better than salaah to achieve tranquility, relaxation and inner-peace.
Rest yourself in every position of the prayer until you feel a calmness: while standing: while bowing: while prostrarting; and while sitting. Not only will you be at peace with your inner-self, but also rewarded for it.
... and Allaah knows best.
Dear Hasnain, have you ever done Yoga? Have stretched and sweated during a Yoga session? Have you gotten absolutely exhausted after a Yoga session and felt how it feels, physically and mentally? If not then stop assuming.
Who's assuming?
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Originally posted by Roman: *
Have you gotten **absolutely exhausted* after a Yoga session and felt how it feels, physically and mentally?
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Incidently, isn't the idea to relax?! How can one relax while exhausted?
Husnain, there’s a big misconception. You actually need a lot of hardwork before you feel totally relaxed. I do yoga, and I know it. Doing any kind of Meditation requires a lot of hard work to reach the pinnacle.
I agree with you that Nimaz is probably best way to achieve a spiritual high, but bodily exercises are another. Comparing the two is pure nonsense.
NYA,
If you "need a lot of hardwork before you feel totally relaxed" and according to Roman ...
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Originally posted by Roman
Have stretched and sweated during a Yoga session? Have you gotten absolutely exhausted after a Yoga session and felt how it feels, physically and mentally?
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... then at what point are you actually relaxing? With this description, it seems like a lot of hard work and effort, but 'no time' to relax.
What do you say is the aim of Yoga? What does one try to achieve?
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Originally posted by NYAhmadi
Doing any kind of Meditation requires a lot of hard work to reach the pinnacle.
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I disagree. Salaah/namaaz is also a form of meditation, but requires no hardwork at all. The only effort required is in one maintaining his/her concentration. But physically there is no stress involved, and one certainly doesn't leave the prayer "absolutely exhausted". In fact even before you perform the prayer, the Islamic ruling is not to rush/run to the mosques so that you enter the prayer out of breath, but rather you should enter it in a composed, relaxed and calm manner.
... and Allaah knows best.
Hasnain: Offering prayers in any religion bring a peace of mind to the offerer. That is spirituality. Think of Yoga as a non-religious but a spiritually uplifting practice. The idea is to improve the beathing, gain elasticity, increase strength through contraction and relaxation of muscles all at a same time.
Try offering prayers to allah when doing yoga, if moving away from islam is your concern. Regardless of which god you believe in there is no harm in trying aspects of other cultures if they work.
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*Originally posted by Chaltahai: *
Think of Yoga as a non-religious but a spiritually uplifting practice.
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Yes, i can think of that.
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*Originally posted by Chaltahai: *
Try offering prayers to allah when doing yoga, if moving away from islam is your concern.
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However, as you have said, if i "Think of Yoga as a non-religious" practice, then how can i "Try offering prayers to allah when doing yoga ..."!? I'm sorry, but that sounds like a contradiction, as the prayer itself by definition is a religious practice. One either offers prayers to Allaah (in the case of Muslims) in the manner that Allaah has prescribed Himself, or one does not.
Personally, moving away from Islam has never been my concern, Alhamdulillaah. My concern, and one of my goals - insha'Allaah - is to achieve a serenity of the heart and a way to preserve it 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, every week of the year. From what i have learned from the posts (and a few other sources) is that Yoga does not offer this kind of inner peace. It may do it on a temporary short-term period, but as soon as your "lesson" is over, the calmness flakes out with it. The salaah/namaaz on the other hand, is clearly the way this can be attained, not just during the act of performing prayer itself, but also outside of the prayer if one can reach the pinnacle - the spiritual level of 'Ihsaan. It is this state of body and mind that can truly bring about sereness, tranquility and inner peace.
... and Allaah knows best.
&peace
Hasnain: If you don;t want to Yoga, don't. Yoga for your information is part of a lifestyle. It is not a prayer offering. But it does not stop someone from offering prayers. WHile doing yoga your mind and body are in perfect synch, there is no harm in that. It is perhaps more spiritual than kneeling and getting up and prostrating for some. I am sure god recommends Yoga. Think about J-Lo if you want if you don;t want to think about God when doing Yoga.
I want to do Yoga behind J-Lo.
Maloom shud keh hich maloom na shud
Shah Inayat Qasoori (1827) BhaTi gate lahore main Unchi masjid ke paish imman, Mufasir e Quran or Tasavof kay mutaliq kaii kitabon kay musanif bhi thay ...
unhon nay (Shah Inayat) apni kitab "Dasot ul Ammal" main yog kay toor tariqon ka tafseel say zikar kia hay ...
Shah Inayat ulomm e batin main Syed Abdullah Shah (Bullhay Shah) kay usstad bhi rahay hain.
Bullhay Shah kay kalam say pata chlata hay keh unhon nay Ammrit KanD (Yogion ki moqadus kitab, Translation by Shiekh Mohammad Ghoss "Behir Ul Hayat" in 1562). kay uloom say bhi poori tarah ashna thay
Hindu yogiyon nay bhi Toheed kay mutaliq barray manni khaiz no'kat bayan kiay hain our musalman inhain apna ghum shuda khazana taswar kartay hain
Ref: Kalam Hazrat Bullhay Shah, Maktaba Danauyal Publishers, 2000, P 24-26
Adab Arz
YOGA is cool.