Indonesia conducts study on yoga before issuing fatwa
By Channel NewsAsia's Indonesia Bureau Chief, Sujadi Siswo | Posted: 05 December 2008 0026 hrs

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JAKARTA: Indonesia's top Islamic body is conducting a two-month study on yoga to determine if it is permissible for Indonesian Muslims to practise it.

The study came about after Malaysia's religious authority issued a fatwa banning Muslims from practising yoga.

Linda is among dozens of yoga instructors in Jakarta who has been kept busy over the last couple of years by growing interest in the ancient exercise.

She conducts four classes a day, seven days a week for Indonesians seeking to improve their general well-being.

She said: "We do more (of) the physical (than) the spiritual activities."

But she needs to convince the country's top Islamic authority, who suspects the ancient practise may have elements not permissible in Islam.

'For example, they have to do certain movements as a form of praying to something. Or maybe in its meditation they have to free their mind from Allah. As Muslims we are not allowed to do that. We will find out if these happen," said the head of Fatwa Commission at Indonesia's Ulama Council, M.Anwar Ibrahim.

Dr Anwar revealed that a five-man task force from the Ulama Council will visit various yoga classes here to gain a deeper understanding of the practise.

The knowledge will form the basis for a fatwa on yoga which they plan to issue.

Yoga has been practised in Indonesia for years, but this is the first time the religious body is carrying out such an extensive study.

Dr Anwar said: "Queries have surfaced only recently. Maybe they were influenced by (the) development in Malaysia where we heard that it has issued a fatwa banning yoga."

The move has received mixed reactions from the yoga fraternity in Indonesia -- Muslims and non-Muslims alike.

"It's not necessary for the Indonesian government to follow the Malaysian government to ban yoga," said Linda.

"It's good to impose a limited ban if there are certain aspects of yoga that are not acceptable to the religion," said a yoga enthusiast, Monalizar Zulbahri.

Another yoga enthusiast, Tonny Sufami, said: "I can accept the ban if there are negative effects. But there is no problem the past one year since I took up yoga."

Indonesian Muslims will know early next year if they can still continue practising yoga -- if only as a form of exercise and to relieve stress.

- CNA/yt