Muslims And Yoga Poem by Narayanan Nair. P Perunthanam

Muslims And Yoga



MUSLIMS AND YOGA
We celebrated the International Yoga Day on 21/6/2015. Unfortunately, it was interpreted by politically motivated groups in India as a BJP programme initiated by Mr.Narendra Modi, our Prime Minister. Muslim Personal Law Board is one among such groups. There are different types of Muslims like the North Indian Deyoband group, Berelwis, Quadiyanis, and the South Indian Ponnani sects. There are Sunnis and Shiaites in India. Among them one is opposed to the other though all carry Holy Qur’an with them. So, this institutionalized religions function in India as a closed religion accusing one another. They follow this negative approach in every issue in the society. Indian Vote Bank identity politics creates this gulf wider and creates a negative anti-integration mood. This is the cause of opposition to Yoga Day Celebrations.

Actually, the Christian community favours Yoga and they teach it in their Seminaries and Convents where the priests and nuns are respectively trained. Muslims do yoga every day during their five times Prayer(Namaz) .But they do not realize it. Their priests do not recognize it and explain the benefits of Yoga steps proper to the common man. The Muslim clergy is averse to tell the truth to the people as they want to be the only True Spiritualists and denying the truth so clear. They make Muslims ignorant and exploit ordinary devotees.

For the Muslims and the other interested people, I shall explain the above points. The steps of prayer in Islam irrespective of times are the same. Step -1: Stand erect keeping feet one feet apart. Hold the hands across in between chest and the abdomen. Using the right hand thumb and the right hand little finger, the left hand wrist is held and the left fore-arm is covered by the other three right hand fingers. Head is held high and eyes are set on the Sujood Point-in a fixed gaze. Or eyes can be in a closed position. This posture is equal to the first step of Surya Naskar. In Surya Namaskar palms will be in a folded together style. This in effect helps the lungs to expand better and full breathing possible so that more oxygen will be inhailed. Step -II. Body is slowly bend down and both palms are set on the unbend knee. This is a variety of or in effect the same as the Pada Hasthasana in Yoga. In step –III, body is brought back to the Step -1st position. Step -IV It is the Sujood position where the forehead touches the ground. It is actually the Sashtanga Namaskar in Yoga. As the Step –V there is sitting posture equal to Vajrasana in Yoga Step-VI repeats the IVth position and in the Step-VII one is coming back to the Step -! position. This is done twice in Suabh; four times in Luhr, four times in Azar, three times in Magarib and four times in Issha. Really prayers are done five times in Christian Churches and in the Hindu temples following the time schedule of the Muslims. Hindus generally do not participate en-block in such prayers as a ritual but Muslims are as the five times Prayers are compulsory for them. During this physical activities, Muslims recite separate Dikrs(Mantras) or verses of the holy Qur’an as dictated to them. Dikrs or Mantras are nothing but sentences praising God- the Almighty. Muslims call it Allah; Hindus Brahma(not Bramman in Brahmman– Vishnu- and Siv trinity. These three are from Brahma-having neither birth or death): that is all. The concept is the same leading to monism.


Not only these steps but one has to prepare well in advance before performing Namaz or Yogas. One must be mentally alert, physically clean. The area of Prayers or Yoga must be serene and the air pure or else, concentration will lose. In Yoga these preparatory items are called Yama and Niyam. Practice non-violence in thought, words and deed.Faith in the Almighty Creator will create the mood of obedience casting off ego. According to Pathanjali Yoga sutra Yoga is to block thought waves and help us to do our acts successfully. Link spirit with the Spirit- soul with the Soul. Link creatures with the Creator. Only humble people can make humble society and the world Peaceful. All these are all thoughts preached by Muslims. They say Cleanliness is the part of Faith and Patience is the half of Faith.

Both Namaz of the Muslims and the Indian Yoga enhances the Spiritual and the Physical purity and growth. It unifies the mental alertness with the muscular action. All religions proscribe evil deeds and prescribe virtuous rituals/acts. This is to refine our culture and maintain peace and progress in the world. Prophet Mohammad (pbh) has told to begin interaction/discussion on the points where we can come to agreement first. Instead of blind opposition Muslims and Hindus must come on a table of discussion to understand both sides better during this Ramdan. As Swami Vivekananda in his Chicago address pointed out, we need assimilation not assassination. We have to integrate India by enhancing our culture.
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COMMENTS OF THE POEM
Denis Mair 17 April 2016

Thank you Nasarudheen P. Parameswaran for this illuminating discussion. It contains material that poets may find inspiring. It finds common ground and affirms what has value across the boundaries of faiths. As you say in your poem on Ramzan, //...Even Rasool had no power to enforce but propagate/ Only to be a model to make human-beings modern...//

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S.zaynab Kamoonpuri 28 August 2015

Wow mashallah sir this is a brilliant comparison. We muslims have both spiritual n bodily exercise in prayer and yes it is like yoga and many western exercises they show on TV. Because hinduism n christianity both were true religions frm God for their ancient times but are not meant for modern times since they have been adulterated and corrupted n changed., while the Quran is intact and unchangeable. U know i too observd with wondr that hindu prayer bells ring at exactly our azaan timings! And their festival here is around Eid period too. Kudos.

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