IPOH, 25 Nov 2008: The Islamic Development Department Malaysia (Jakim) is asking each state fatwa committee to meet over the decision to ban the systematic practice of yoga for Muslims before the fatwa (edict) is presented to the Malay Rulers for consent. Jakim director-general Datuk Wan Mohamad Datuk Sheikh Abdul Aziz said the implementation of [...]

PUTRAJAYA, 22 Nov 2008: The National Fatwa Council has ruled that yoga is ‘haram” for Muslims. Its chairman, Datuk Dr Abdul Shukor Husin said only the physical aspect of yoga, without the mantras and elements of worshipping outwardly, was not wrong (in Islam). However, he said, yoga was not to be encouraged among Muslims for [...]

PUTRAJAYA, 18 Nov 2008: The National Fatwa Council will announce the ruling on the practice of yoga this week, its chairperson, Prof Datuk Dr Abdul Shukor Husin, said today. He said the draft on the matter was ready last week, but that he had to examine it first before sending it to the Islamic Development [...]

PUTRAJAYA, 10 Nov 2008: Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi today told non-Muslim non-governmental organisations (NGOs) not to challenge the National Fatwa Council’s credibility. He said it was unfair to challenge or dispute a fatwa issued by the council purely on logic because it could create confusion among the [...]

ON 23 October 2008, the National Fatwa Council of Malaysia issued a fatwa saying that tomboyism, where a girl behaves or dresses in what is seen as a boyish manner, is forbidden by Islam. According to the council chairman, Datuk Dr Abdul Shukor Husin, this decision was made because — in their reasoning — young [...]

KUALA LUMPUR, 5 Nov 2008: The National Fatwa Council will issue a guideline on swearing in accordance with Islamic rites to address confusions and differences of opinion over the matter. Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the council was collating views from authoritative sources so that there would [...]