Yoga should be encouraged in madrassas, but oppose Surya Namaskar, says UP Muslim cleric: 'Islam forbids…'
Muslim cleric Maulana Shahabuddin Razvi on Saturday said that yoga should be encouraged in mosques and madrassas, but opposed 'Surya Namaskar', saying it is prohibited in Islam.
"I have supported yoga but opposed Surya Namaskar. Muslims cannot perform Surya Namaskar. Surya Namaskar is an act within yoga. Every man and woman should do yoga. Yoga should be done in madrasas and mosques too. But Surya Namaskar is bowing to the sun, worshipping the sun. Islam forbids all these things," said Razvi, president of the All India Muslim Jamaat.
According to a PTI report, Razvi took part in the celebrations of the International Day of Yoga at the Grand Mufti House near Dargah-e-Ala Hazrat in Bareilly. "Worshipping the sun is illegitimate in Islam. That is why we have forbidden everyone from doing Surya Namaskar. Surya Namaskar is not a part of Islam. Therefore, no Muslim should perform Surya Namaskar.'
"Yoga is also practised in Islam. Yoga is not part of a religion," he added.
The report further quoted the cleric as saying, "Surya Namaskar is a form of Sanatan Dharma, meaning Hindu worship, which Islam absolutely does not permit. Surya Namaskar is 'haram' in Islam."
Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh minister JPS Rathore remarked: "Just as our sun is the truth, so is Surya Namaskar. So long as the sun rises, Surya Namaskar will also continue."
Rathore commented after performing yoga at Bareilly College ground on Saturday, the report added.
"Those who spit at the sun end up with the spit falling back on their faces. The same fate awaits those who oppose Surya Namaskar," the minister also said. "It's an ancient yoga practice that everyone should accept. There's nothing more narrow-minded than opposing it."
Razvi also recommended yoga for women. "Yoga is very important for women, as women move around much less compared to men; women mostly stay at home. Therefore, people who do more sedentary work are more susceptible to diseases."
"Yoga is an activity that makes small illnesses disappear on their own, and the body remains agile. So, my request to women is to do yoga for at least 20 minutes every day," he said.
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