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Is Yoga Allowed In Islam

Answered as per Hanafi Fiqh by DarulIftaBirmingham

Answered by: Maulana Syed Johir Miah

Question:

Is yoga allowed in Islam? What is the Islamic point of view, please?

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

Answer:

Yoga is an ancient form of exercise that focuses on strength, flexibility, and breathing to boost physical and mental wellbeing. The main components of yoga are postures (a series of movements designed to increase strength and flexibility) and breathing.

The practice originated in India about 5,000 years ago and has been adapted in other countries in a variety of ways. Yoga is now commonplace in leisure centers, health clubs, schools, hospitals, and surgeries.[1]

Yoga can be practiced purely for the element of physical exercise, as there is no harm in it. If Yoga does not include any type of incantation from any religion such as the Hindu incantation, as Yoga originates from India, then it is permissible.

However, one needs to avoid the meditative and spiritual aspects, as we Muslims do not engage in the meditative and spiritual practices of other traditions other than our own Islamic traditions.

Sayyiduna Abdullan Ibn Umar ( رضى الله عنهما )narrated that Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said;

من تشبه بقوم فهو منهم“He who imitates a nation is from them”.[2]

The Salah is a spiritual and physical exercise for Muslims and it has also been proved scientifically to have bodily benefits.

Only Allah knows best

Written by Maulana Syed Johir Miah

Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham

[1] https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/guide-to-yoga/

[2] Sunan Abu Dawud, Hadith 4031, 44/4, Al-Maktabatul Asriyyah, Beirut, Lebanon.

This answer was collected from DarulIftaBirmingham.co.uk, which is run under the supervision of Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah from the United Kingdom.

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