Malaysia likely to issue Fatwa against Yoga

Yoga may soon be outlawed in Malaysia, if a prominent body of clerics which is planning to issue a fatwa on the practice, has its way.

Malaysia’s National Fatwa Council is going to impose Fatwa on Yoga after Zakaria Stapa, a lecturer of University of Kebangsaan’s Islamic Studies Centre, on Tuesday advised Muslims who have taken up Yoga to stop practising it fearing that it could deviate their belief, local news reports said in Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday.

“A ruling would be made by the council’s Chairman, Abdul Shukor Husin, in this regard,” Deputy Director-General of the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia, Othman Mustapha, quoted as saying by New Straits Times online edition.