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Sultans flex their muscle
©The
Straits Times, Singapore (Used by permission)
by Carolyn Hong, Malaysia Bureau Chief
Abdullah also weighs in to say yoga is okay if Muslims don't
chant
KUALA LUMPUR: When the National Fatwa Council issued an edict
on yoga last week, it also warned Malaysians not to question it but did not
figure on the powerful Malay rulers stepping in.
Three rulers - from Selangor, Perak and Negeri Sembilan - have expressed
disapproval that the monarchy was bypassed in the matter.
Under Malaysian law, the sultans are the head of Islam in their states, and the
King is the head of religion for the country.
Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi added his voice to the issue yesterday, saying
that 'a physical regime with no elements of worship can continue'.
He said that Muslims who performed yoga without chanting Hindu mantras could
carry on with their activity as it was good for their health.
'I believe that Muslims are not easily swayed into polytheism,' he told
Bernama.
'What I understand from the decision of the National Fatwa Council is that it
was aimed at explaining to Muslims the implications of yoga practice,' he said,
adding that the fatwa would be implemented only after the rulers had given their
consent.
On Tuesday, Perak crown prince Raja Nazrin Shah told the Perak Fatwa Committee
to consider the fatwa very carefully. He added it will have to be brought to the
Perak Islamic Religious and Malay Customs Council which he chairs, before being
presented to the Sultan of Perak for consent.
A day before that, the Sultan of Selangor, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah, said
any fatwa on public matters should be brought to the Conference of Rulers first.
Yesterday, the Regent of Negeri Sembilan, Tunku Naquiyuddin Tuanku Ja'afar, made
a similar comment. 'Recently, the council has come out with edicts on tomboys
and yoga. I am not at all certain that members of the royalty had been consulted
on these issues and if not, I would certainly encourage the council to do so,'
he said.
The public intervention of the rulers has caused a stir as it is unprecedented
for them to come into conflict with the government's Islamic authorities. The
Islamic bodies are rarely criticised by the politicians for fear of being
labelled as un-Islamic.
The rulers' intervention has left the fatwa in limbo. So far, none of the states
has gazetted the ruling that yoga is forbidden for Muslims if it included
elements of chanting and worship. The physical exercises in themselves are
discouraged as they might lead to an erosion of faith.
The fatwa has to be gazetted in each state for it to have the force of law for
Muslims in that state.
There are mixed views. Kelantan Menteri Besar Nik Aziz Nik Mat said he
personally agreed with the edict because of the Hindu beliefs associated with
the exercise. But the Perlis Mufti, Dr Asri Zainal Abidin, had expressed
reservations.
It is not clear if the rulers can reject the fatwa unilaterally. According to
law professor Shad Faruqi, it is a grey area, but he believed that the sultans
will have a strong say as they have wide discretion in matters of Islam in their
states.
The rulers' intervention is the latest of a series of muscle-flexing by the
monarchy. Under the Constitution, they have certain powers, but it is only in
recent years that they have used it to defeat decisions of the Executive.
Many Malaysians see their intervention as a refreshing voice and a mechanism of
checks and balances, filling a vacuum of leadership left by a weak political
Executive.
To Prof Shad, the rulers' activism is part of a new cycle in Malaysia's history
in which other centres of power are regaining prominence after a long spell of
dominance of the political Executive.
'We are returning to the normalcy of a democracy, and a dispersion of power from
a centralised grip to many seats of power,' he said.
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Since Yoga originated from Hinduism and as such an edict has been declared to prevent Muslims' from practising Yoga so that our faith would not be eroded, they should very soon come out with an edict to ban the use of the Keris, as the Muslims may mistake it for Kristianity and as such have our faith being altered.
Seni Silat would soon be a thing of the past for Muslims as there are "unsur unsur syirik" and "ilmu batin". Pulut Kuning should also be banned as it also has elements of "memuja".
The practise of giving out Ang Pow's derived from the Chinese custom. It is mainly a Buddhist trait since no Christians, or Hindus give out ang pows in their celebrations. As such, Muslims SHOULD STEER CLEAR of giving out ANG POWS (YAY!) just in case we Muslims think of converting to Buddhism when giving out ang pow.
Soon Valentines day would be banned for Muslims as well, as it came from ST VALENTINES.
And forget about celebrating Birthdays by blowing candles as it was derived from Jewish celebration and Greek tradition http://www.tokenz.com/birthday-candles.html.
What else?
Nik Elin Zurina Bt Nik Abdul Rashid