Islam means peace and it is about submission to God. The Prophet Muhammad said that "All actions come from/are judged by intentions." I think many people practice yoga to improve themselves and gain a sense of peace. These are both Islamic and godly principles. As a Muslim woman, I try to remain modest by practicing yoga in my home or going to all-female classes. I would also like to point out the similarities between salat (the Muslim ritual/physical prayer performed 5 times a day) and the yoga poses. They are so similar! I am declaring a fatwa that more Muslims should do yoga.

By the way — all a fatwa means is an opinion. Muslims are free to take or leave opinions, although many lay Muslims tend to respect fatwas made by scholars as a way of honoring their knowledge. A Fatwa made by the state sounds just like a law with a political reason to me.

Please change the title of your article. Thank you.

Maybe it's true that "To most people yoga is simply a sport – a stress-busting start to the day." And though I don't see yoga as a religion (um, I'm about the least religious person I can imagine), it does have pretty deeply spiritual and scientific teachings (if we actually look at yoga lineage as it really is, not the past 50 years of asana that calls itself "yoga" in the west). Sure, bringing asana to schools, and prisons, and Malaysia and the like is great – but it must be noted that asana (postures) is such a teeny teeny speck of what Yoga really is.

Nuff said.

Jerome Rifkin at 10:24am February 3
Well, since they don’t understand that monotheism means that everyone who worships a God is worshiping the same God… Well, I guess fundamentalists of any stripe just kinda seem like spoons in the knife drawer to me.

Bill Kopper at 1:15pm February 3
My hamstrings have declared a fatwa against forward folds.

Jason T Hewitt at 2:27pm February 3
Well, there are actually some very sophisticated theological reasons why this has been declared that can’t be dismissed as simple “fundamentalism.” The Pope is not a fundamentalist and has issued similar declarations arguing against meditation. Yoga is empty just like everything else. It is not inherently good. The Pope’s argument against meditation, in an extreme oversimplification is: 1) Meditation reveals our basic nature. 2) Our basic nature is fallen and sinful. 3) Our basic nature should not be uncovered and expressed, because to do so is to allow an avenue for our sinful nature to gain control of our souls. 4) Therefore, don’t meditate. Similar kinds of internally necessary arguments and complex politics go into the yoga decision, as well.

Also, Keith, they bow _on_ the earth, not to it. VERY important distinction.

Waylon Hart Lewis at 4:02pm February 3
My mind has declared a fatwa against getting off my ass.