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Yoga, Siew Mai And Bank

Posted by admin

Saturday, 29 November 2008 21:34

(Sin Chew Daily) Many friends around me are enthusiastic yoga fans. But so far none has been converted into a Hindu. That's bad!

Worse still, they can't even chant a line of Hindu mantra!

Based on the stringent ancient requirements for Hindu ascetic monks, these people could have been banished into the woods for 18 years.

As for the yoga instructors, they should have been condemned for cheating the world by not teaching their students how to chant the mantras so that they could attain the paramount "one with the God" state.

Wait a minute! Is yoga really that complicated at all? Is anyone still believing that we are living at a time when Buddha was yet to be born 3,000 years ago?

Those decision-makers at the National Fatwa Council have treated yoga with too much respect!

If things really could turn out in such a miraculous way, then a trip to Batu Caves should be enough to turn a person into an Indian!

Selangor and Perak sultans are perhap a notch above the rest, while Pak Lah also seems to be more sober, understanding that modern yoga is but a form of exercise for non-believers to stretch their bodies, and will never offer anything like a "man with the God" state, or turn any earthling into an immortal.

Pak Lah has said yoga can still be practised provided that no mantras are chanted.

Isn't it that simple?

Muslims used to stay away from meat buns, because they are non-halal.

But business-minded Malay entrepreneurs have come up with the idea of replacing pork with the halal chicken meat as filling, and halal meat buns are now selling well everywhere.

Muslims also used to distance themselves from siew mai, but now we can find the halal version in the market.

A Malay couple in Subang Jaya have obviously seen the lucrative business opportunities in this particular food segment, and have come up with halal siew mai which proves to be a big hit among consumers especially during the Ramadhan month.

As if that is not enough, banks that charge interests are, strictly speaking, operating against the Islamic laws. But don't worry. We can always do things in a different way. Set up Islamic banks that work on "surplus value" instead of interests, and they can still claim to conform to Islamic laws.

Twist the brain a bit, and anything haram can now become halal, so that we all can live a more colourful life. (By TAY TIAN YAN/Translated by DOMINIC LOH/Sin Chew Daily)

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written by zanie, November 29, 2008 21:46:13

Don't be surprise. Even in Christianity there are voices that say Yoga threatens their faith as well. Watch this folks,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oVdLZlBYseg&eur

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written by sumija, November 29, 2008 22:11:59

That there is only one God and non other than this one God. Something like the pinnacle of the pyramid; anything below it is not God. It is possible that this one God is referred to by different names based on the believers? No one religion monopolizes this one God. God is God to every living and non living to the physical and non physical. If every religion recognizes God as the almighty, so whatâ€™s the fuss? You pray to this one God as you know how. If you were born to a family practicing a particular religion you follow that religion so does the other believers; of course one may choose what ever religion he is comfortable with or he may choose not to follow any at all. The one almighty God is still there regardless of what one choose to believe. What the believers do does not change anything, God is still God. No one religion is more right or more wrong than the other if one believes in the one and only God.

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written by middlepath, November 29, 2008 22:28:53

Yes, we can. Malaysian, yes, we must encourage this kind of racial integration, we have seen more and more, many Malays doing or preparing the food using halal, chicken or whatever, to cater for multi ethnic can eat.
This is creative, this is healthy, we must have more of this integration effort, we must emphasis and encourage on this kind of good activity,
however, our government sad enough is looking at how to divide and rule, divide and create racial problem.
we rakyat must wake up, and Yes we can. we must ignore, the racist gov, and make sure we vote the BN and Umno gov peacefully. we will make sure they are disappear from this Bumi, earth, so that we have a new beginning.
even the USA, orang Putih, also can choose a new Black leader, about time, we all rakyat will choose the Pakatan Rakyat, PKR, RPK gov, to replace the BN, Umno, make sure we have a new beginning, new vision, that focus on building on strong Malaysia, a new beginning, a new nation, that work together to create a united and strong, prosperous Malaysia.
Yes, we can, yes, we must united, vote out the BN, Umno that is Corrupt, Arrogant, Greedy, that is racist, and divisive, and narrow thinking.
we rakyat, must wake up, yes we can.
vote for new government, yes we can. we must united to create a new malaysia.
Yes we can. we have to sacrifice a little bit to have a new government PKR to govern, they will be better than BN and Umno that is corrupt, that only tqake care of relative or cronies.

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written by lynn, November 29, 2008 22:40:56

If we list out the kind of food which urban Malays are also selling which are Chinese in origins, fatwas will be flying all over the place.

If u observe, you would have seen Malay stalls selling hainanese chicken rice? or the western beef burger? or the chinese kaya pau? we also have malay cooks making "cantonese style koayteow" porkfree, fried hokkien mee or koayteow, chinese style yee meen, black sauce and all.... so how? u can't fatwa them. That is their way of making a living!

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written by Motherchell, November 29, 2008 23:42:30

When Man tries to be GOD , like a shining nova-- the wrath of GOD is felt in many ways which we call natural disasters. So how convenient the blame game is on Planet Earth!!!

http://sjsandteam.*********.com/

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written by onnetline, November 30, 2008 00:09:12

How NOT so practical at all .......... these 'cavemen'from FART WAH !

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written by Steven Tan, November 30, 2008 01:26:30

Saudara Dragonheart,

Terlebih dahulu saya ingin meminta maaf, memandangkan saudara Dragonheart berpengetahuan dalam perihal agama, saya ada satu perkara yang saya kurang faham dan sekiranya tidak menjadi keberatan sudi tak saudara memberikan penjelasan saudara dari sudut agama.

Di masa hadapan mungkinkah rancangan-rancangan Bollywood seperti wayang gambar, drama, lagu-lagu hindi dan lain-lain rancangan akan dikategorikan sebagai "haram" oleh NFC dan JAKIM?. Saya bertanyakan demikian kerana kalau saudara perhatikan, rata-rata dalam sesebuah cerita hindi sekiranya ada unsur-unsur bersembahyang, pemujaan dan lain-lain aktiviti-aktiviti agama pada kebiasaannya ianya akan melibatkan agama hindu dan pemujaan patung-patung tuhan hindu.

Sampaikan Shah Rukh Khan, Amir Khan dan Salman Khan sekali pun akan bersembahyang mengikut kehendak jalan cerita tersebut. Tidakkah situasi ini akan memesongkan akidah islam dan membuatkan penonton-penonton islam terikut-ikut dengan pemujaan dan upacara sembahyang mengikut adat resam agama hindu gara-gara hero mereka melakukannya dan tanpa disedari, dalam lagu-lagu hindi yang di nyanyikan pun banyak perkataan berunsur agama hindu contohnya "HARE RAMA HARE KRISHAN". Seperti apabila kita menyebut "DIL TU PAGAL HAI", "KUCH KUCH HOTA HAI" dsb, mungkin ada unsur-unsur hindu di dalamnya... manalah kita tahu

Jadi mungkinkah NFC dan JAKIM akan mengkaji isu ini kerana mungkin pengaruh agama hindu melalui cerita hindi adalah lebih kuat dan lebih tebal di dalam kehidupan seharian orang melayu jika dibandingkan dengan amalan yoga di mana hampir 100 peratus orang islam malaysia daripada semua lapisan rakyat (mungkin termasuk saudara dragonheart sendiri) menonton hindustan movie (dalam nama pun dah ada perkataan HINDU). Sedangkan senaman yoga hanya di amal oleh satu golongan kecil sahaja iaitu mungkin kurang daripada 5% orang islam malaysia yang mengamalkannya.

Saya berharap Saudara Dragonheart sudi meluangkan sedikit masa untuk memberi penjelasan saudara mengikut lunas-lunas agama dan hukumnya sekali.

Sekian dan terima kasih

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written by onnetline, November 30, 2008 01:36:45

Fatwa Council,

What about student exchange programmes when youngsters are placed to live in foreign homes with different religious backgrounds ???

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written by nocrid, November 30, 2008 02:08:59

Saudara Steven Tan,

Fakta yang Dragonheart kemukakan itu "cut and paste" punya. Selain daripada "KORANG SEMUA JANGAN CAKAP BENDA YANG KORANG TAK PAHAM" saya tidak dapat bayangkan apa penjelasan lagi daripada beliau. Kesimpulan yang saya dapati episod-episod yoga ni ialah Kalau halal seribu fakta, kalau haram pun seribu fakta jugak...Hipokrasi namanya.

As for the bollywood movie, I suppose "Similarly with yoga you don't have to sing the hindi song to make a muslim syrik, the viewing is good enough"?

kain siapa yang koyak rabah tak sedar tu tak tau siapa lagi.

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written by nrama, November 30, 2008 05:01:20

Religion tells you to accept the experiences of another as your own, Spirituality, a byproduct of which is yoga, asks you to accept the validity of personal experiences. No Soul takes lightly the holier than thou attitude taken by religionists.

Religion tells you to accept the divinity of another. Spirituality asks you to accept your divinity, the created in the likeness and image of God divinity.

Religions are in turmoil brought about by the emancipation of Self and the struggle between Spirituality and Religion. One philosophy relegate you to a minor position whilst the other elevates you to the position that Christ spoke of, "I have said you are gods and the scripture cannot be broken". I realise that this is too much grandness for some to handle and I shall be accused of blasphemy!

Which philosophy would you accept?

Blessed be

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written by patycy, November 30, 2008 06:12:37

To the pathetic people that think they own islam,
I am a non-muslim now. I am learning it. Someday, i might become one. Who are you to stop me from wanting to know more.
Don't play God.

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written by talk2stop, November 30, 2008 07:18:08

Reiligion is a very very confusing issue. It is breaking apart to suit the individual. If we like it we call it a religion if we don't we call it a cult.
We have created more GODs/ALLAHs in this world that we can imagine.
But my good heart will tell me what to do the right thing for humanity even one thinks it is against GOD.
If I die I hope God will forgive my soul. I know he will because my heart says so.
So to all the people, keep living and be happy. A life time is just a moment of time.

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written by Tompios, November 30, 2008 07:31:03

Dear Islam brother and sister,

This is the time for you to tell Non-Moslem about Islam and realization of Islamic's nature. By telling them 'keep away' from Islam business means you are prevent them to know about Islam. How can a person who want to know about Islam scolded to 'berambus'?

People are concern about Islam and this make them curious to know more about Islam. Can you see that this is an opportunity to tell them about Islam?

The main point here is, this Non-Moslem people really want to know the logic environment of this fatwa. That's all. Why fatwa has given to one spot of practice without considering the other situations that similar with the nature of Yoga? Non-Moslems have right to ask because they are ignorant about Islam. If among Moslems keep asking this fatwa, itu namanya 'qualat' punya Muslim. Ikut sajalah....!! But, you cannot apply 'qualat' for Non-Moslem. Non-Moslem needs to be guided. Bukan tegah dan larang serta menghardik mereka.

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written by ahmadneil, November 30, 2008 08:48:53

I strongly believe that all the food that we muslims eat everyday are definitely not all strictly following halal instructions or even not at all halal.But still we are muslim.Eating non-halal does not make muslims 'dirty'.When hunger creeps in ,you eat anything.

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written by ST ALI, November 30, 2008 09:18:01

Simple things make so much kecoh. Big things just ignore. What a country. BTW if our muslim brethren dont want the others to get involved in their issues, then its only fair & right they do so with great respect to others. Dont force your islamic lifestyle onto others by making them into laws that ultimately is forced on the others. Live & let live. U live by your teachings & let the others live by theirs. Respect is to be earned. Acceptance of one & all is the ultimate way to living in peace & harmony not by tolerance. Dont make things easy for some at the expense of others. Salam. Shalom. Om Shanti.

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written by gundohing, November 30, 2008 09:41:40

true dragonheart.. but it about setting priority. How many muslims practices Yoga as opposed to Muslim taking up bank loans or saving money in non-Islamic banks? I am sure there are more Muslims getting themselves involved in Haram transactions involving interests (bunga) which is haram. Why is there no fatwa declaring using non-Islamic bank as haram? The answer is simple: These banks are 'owned' by Muslims in the corridors of power or in BN. For business reason haram or halal does not matter anymore!

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written by ylcc, November 30, 2008 12:20:04

zanie ... as you know, Islam and Christianity come from the Middle Ages. True, Christians were cautioned on the spiritual aspects of yoga when it was first introduced ... the DIFFERENCE here is we christians do not have such a thing called "fatwa". So it is just yoga for exercise. Nothing is forced down our throats, and we do not have Christian courts ... we are ONLY answerable to God, and HE alone can judge us. The elders' job is only to guide us so we do not go astray. We respect and tolerate other religions.

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written by The dragonheart, November 30, 2008 13:08:54

Surah al-Kafirun ayah 6
Wa la kum diinukum wa lii diini
To you, your religion, and to me, mine

The following is the commentary on this ayah:

Finally, the whole argument is summed up in the last verse, "You have your own religion, and I have mine", meaning that you (disbelievers) and I (Muhammad) are very far apart, without any bridge to connect us - a complete distinction and a precise, intelligible demarcation. Such an attitude was essential then in order to expose the fundamental discrepancies in the essence of the two beliefs and doctrines, in the source of the two concepts and in the nature of the two paths of monotheism and polytheism, faith and disbelief. Faith on the one hand, is the way of life which directs man and the whole world towards Allah alone and determines for him the source of his religious concept, laws, values, criteria, ethics and morals. That source is Allah and nobody else. Thus life proceeds for him accordingly, devoid of any form of polytheism which, on the other hand, represents another way of life entirely dissimilar to that of faith. The two never meet.

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written by nocrid, November 30, 2008 13:41:23

Tompios,
The main point here is, this Non-Moslem people really want to know the logic environment of this fatwa. That's all. Why fatwa has given to one spot of practice without considering the other situations that similar with the nature of Yoga?

You hit it at the right spot. "Their" marketing is so freaking poor, potential going-to-be-~~believer~~customer will stay away. Well I guess that's the thing to do when you try to stay exclusive or fail to explain why "ada yang boleh buat ada yang tak boleh buat" situation.

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written by Mirage, November 30, 2008 13:54:07

Common a blog and forum like this is to contribute the differences and to understand the similarity.By asking not to be involve in something that non-muslims don't understand, then there MUST be some consistency in the ruling and decisions by the fatwa council. After all, all this activities yoga, tai chi etc are suppose to create this similarities in the Malaysians isn't it? Fair to say yoga chanting is against the muslim religion and a call for them not to chant....why is there a need to stop yoga. This is NOT helping to have a unity for Malaysian. My opinion is whoever is opposing to even talk or share this in moving forward has closed the door.

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written by ssathia, November 30, 2008 14:36:09

Chantings of a True Thinker

I am hungry. I have food in front of me. I will not eat it because my religion says so.
I am thristy. I have a drink in front of me. I will not drink it because my religion says so.
I see a person in need of help. I will not help that person because it (neither he nor she) is not of my relgion.
I am in need of spiritual enlightenment. I have a spiritual book in front of me. I will not read it because my relgion bans it.
I am in need of human company. There are beings who look like humans all around of me. I will not befriend them because they are not of my relgion, I may even behead them, because my religion says so.
I need to widen my knowledge. I have tonnes of educational materials in front of me. I will not read them or engange with them because there is nothing in them that is not in my religion.
I need to use my brain. There are plenty of problem solving opportunities in the world. But I will not use my brain because my religion does all the thinking for me. Therefore my brain is in pristine condition being never used..
I do not recognise others as human beings if they do not share my religion.
I have the freedom to call those other things by the most heinous terms. I can tax them differentially to punish them for not following my religion. I can deny them basic human rights because they are not of my religion.
My religion is the best. My religion is fastest growing. My religion is the true religion. Mine is the only religion worth following. My religion is the complete way of life. All others from a religion other than mine are worshippers of devils.
But when I need money, I am free to grab it from anyone under any pretext. Even if the money comes from the very devil himself.

End of chanting

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written by Check, November 30, 2008 14:57:46

I agree with Sumija. Just to elborate further, God is claimed to be the Creator and being the One, He would not have created things that he doesn't want to exist. That is why we have so many races, cultures and religions but all exhalting Him in different names/languages. What is so wrong about that? Unless that we suspect that many Creators are involved and one Creator is less great than another. Otherwise, we have to concede that we are all the children of this One God. Just like the water we drink, we may call it 'air', 'sui', 'chooi', 'water', 'mitsui', or even 'H2O'. It boils down to the same thing!

All religions teach us to be good and do good, and if cannot do just that, it does not serve any purpose. Throughout history, we find wars waged in the name of religions when hearts should be won through compassion and love. It would not have pleased God to see squabbles among his children.

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written by hakuna, November 30, 2008 16:48:42

"ssathia"- very aptly said.
Let us be Humans first and everything else later.

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written by hakuna, November 30, 2008 16:52:21

If everyone believes that ONLY GOD can create , why were we born into religions that this GOD doesn't profess????

By now all of us will be from just ONE religion.

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written by ssathia, November 30, 2008 19:00:19

hakuna asks "If everyone believes that ONLY GOD can create , why were we born into religions that this GOD doesn't profess????"

Good question. The problem is ""everyone believes that ONLY GOD can create". It is a belief, only a belief, a belief not based on fact, a belief created without scientific proof. It is not without reason that Chairman Mao, the man who fed millions and brought them out of starvation, declared "Religion is poison". Religion did not help Chairman Mao in feeding his hungry people. Nor is GOD helping the starving Africans even now, but religion is helping in their killing fields.

But there is a more important question. If GOD creates, then shouldn't the GOD be powerful enough to ensure that his creation is not destroyed by mere animals including primates such as humans? Is it not strange that even a mosquito bite can kill a mighty human being created by the Almighty GOD? Is it not odd that all the religions in the world cannot protect a person from dengue but a mere chemical can give reliable protection? Why do we have research, hospitals and doctors? No doctor would administer any medicine to any patient based on his or her mere belief that it would work without first ensuring that the subject medicine has gone though the due scientific process and acceptance based on hard facts. If belief alone would do, then places of worship would then suffice to dispense health that would be a lot more cheaper!

No animals have religion. History and even religions themselves teach that religions were solely created by humans for humans. If a petite mosquito bite can kill unceremoniously send off for good a mighty human created by GOD, what would it take to get rid of divisive religions, a creation of mere human beings?

No, terriorists suffering from delusion of religion are instead on the rise. Even as you read this, people are dying in India from the bombings of terrorists. GOD is unable to give these terrorists the right path or guidance nor could the GOD protect ordinary people from such dastardly acts. Obviously, religion is more powerful than GOD. It is most powerful political force on earth.

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written by sumija, November 30, 2008 21:48:52

God is God â€¦most see him as the Almighty, All Forgiving, and full of Love. But that does not stop others from choosing how they want to see Him; there is no obligation though for other people to see things as this other sees, unless they believe or have faith in him. How would things be if there were no religion in this world. Would everyone be praying to this one God in a method 'that of no religion' and there were no wars, no hunger, no poverty, no illness just peace and harmony? Or would it be no different than the world we have today where there are so many beliefs, sects, cults and religions?

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written by Jit Dharma, November 30, 2008 22:23:08

Brother Tay, thanks for your article. Let me clarify one
thing, there is no conversion to Hinduism. One is either
born one or not. Hinduism is not a missionary religion
looking for converts. Secondly to brother Ssathia, the
evil that we see writ large in this world is the work
of man. It doesn't really make a difference whether he
believes in Religion or not. FYI, Mao's policies such
as "the great leap forward" where disasters and he is
responsible for the starvation and death of millions
of his countrymen. Don't blame our Creator or religion
for the failings of humanity. We are really creating
these dark ages on the world He has given by our
own selves. Religion or no, the devil is us. The choice
also is ours. Our good or evil does not alter His
Perfection.

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written by sumija, November 30, 2008 23:53:23

"Don't blame our Creator or religion
for the failings of humanity. We are really creating
these dark ages on the world He has given by our
own selves. Religion or no, the devil is us. The choice
also is ours. Our good or evil does not alter His
Perfection."
Thanks Jit Dharma,
you did gave a clearer picture.

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