YOGA

It is a Sanskrit term. Yoga has a wide range of different meanings. It is derived from the Sanskrit root yuj, "to control", "to yoke", or "to unite". Common meanings include "joining" or "uniting", and related ideas such as "union" and "conjunction". Another conceptual definition is that of "mode, manner, means" or "e pedient, means in general".!

INTRODUCTION
Yoga is defined as a systematic practice of physical e ercise, "reath control, rela ation, diet control, and positive thinking and meditation aimed at developing harmony in the "ody, mind, and environment. #he practice entails low$impact physical activity, postures %called asanas&, "reathing techni'ues %pranayama&, rela ation, and meditation. (ost people are familiar with the physical poses or yoga positions "ut don)t know that yoga involves so much more. Yoga is a union of the organ systems in the "ody with the consciousness in the mind. *hilosophically, yoga produces a union of "ody, mind, and energy %or soul or spirit& to "ring a"out a state of e'uanimity %calmness&. *rogressing to an even more advanced state, "lending science and philosophy, one e periences a union of "ody, mind, internal energy, and the all$pervading cosmic energy, resulting in "etter physical health, mental control, and, ultimately, self$reali+ation. Yoga is all a"out "alancing and harmoni+ing the "ody, mind and emotions. #his is done through asanas, pranyamas, mudras, "andhas, shatkarmas and meditation.,

YOGA IN HINDUISM
Yoga originated thousands of years ago in India. #he ancient yogis had a profound understanding of human "eings) true nature and their need to live in harmony with themselves and their environment. #hese yogis perceived the physical "ody as a vehicle, where the mind was the driver, the soul was the true identity, and action, emotion and intelligence were the three forces, which drove this vehicle. -eeping this relationship in mind, the yogis devised an eight$fold path to maintain this "alance. Yoga postures %or .asanas/&, "reathing techni'ues %or .pranayama/& and mediation %or .dhyana/& form a part of this eight$fold path that help you discover your inner peace.0

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5orn in India, almost ,6,777 years ago, Yoga is "elieved to have evolved during the period of the 8Sat Yuga), also called the 9olden age. #his period "ecame known as a time of everlasting peace and a"undant "lessings, filled with seekers of the :ternal #ruth. It was not until the discovery of the Indus$ valley civili+ation, the largest civili+ation that knowledge a"out the origin of Yoga surfaced. : cavation gives evidence of yoga)s e istence during this period; yogi $like figures engraved on soapstone seals have "een unearthed. In fact, it was the Aryans, migrating from the north$ west, who were instrumental in discovering yoga.<

YOGA AS A SCIENCE
Yoga is a scientific e ploration of the inner self that eventually "rings a"out a metamorphosis in the seeker and leads to self reali+ation. #he true essence of Yoga revolves around elevating the life force or 8-undalini) at the "ase of the spine. Yoga is a leading light for a practitioner into gaining mastery over the self, and comprehending the purpose of "irth. #o 'uote the 5hagavad$9ita, .A person is said to have achieved yoga, the union with the Self, when the perfectly disciplined mind gets freedom from all desires, and "ecomes a"sor"ed in the Self alone/ In the health fields, yoga techni'ues are "eing applied in health promotion programs, su"stance a"use treatment programs, and as complementary treatment for diseases such as an iety disorders, depression, coronary heart disease, cancers, and =I>2AI?S. Yoga is a low$cost self$help approach to well "eing.@

ISLAMIC TEACHINGS ON YOGA

THE YOGA OF ISLAM: NAMAZ Called .one of the oldest systems of personal development encompassing "ody, mind and spirit/ "y the Aournal of the Boyal Society of (edicine, yoga has "ecome one of the fastest growing health trends today. It has "een renowned for centuries for its curative powers of movement. Its "enefits have "een researched "y many doctors who now recommend it to their patients, "y many medical schools such as =arvard, and "y many foundations such as the (enninger Coundation. In fact, yoga has "ecome so popular that secretaries have developed a simplified sitting version that they can do at their desks. #he elderly, pregnant women and athletes also have their own versions. Interestingly, for the millions of people enrolled in yoga classes, the Islamic form of prayer has provided (uslims for fourteen centuries with some of yoga)s same %and even
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superior& "enefits. #his simple form of .yoga/ offers physical, mental, and spiritual "enefits five times a day as (uslims assume certain positions while reciting Dur)an and athkar %remem"rances&. Ef course, not all the yoga positions are found in the Islamic prayer. =owever, hospital researchers have concluded that patients "enefit from even a simplified version of yoga.

FIVE POSITION OF MUSLIM PRAYER

#he (uslim prayer has five positions, and they all %as well as the recitations we make while performing the prayer& have a corresponding relationship with our spiritual and mental well "eing, according to modern scientific research. #he "enefits of performing specific movements and recitations each day come from the correct rendition of the position or action itself, the length of time the position is held, and from careful and correct recitation techni'ues.

SIMILARITIES BETWEEN NAMAZ AND YOGA

:ach of the five prayer positions has a corresponding yoga position, and the positions together .activate/ all seven .chakras/ %energy fields& in the "ody. :astern healers "elieve that each of the chakras correlate to major nerve ganglia that "ranch forth from the spinal column. #hus, the concept of activating these nerve centers is akin to getting a chiropractic adjustment or installing a medical stimulating device on the spine to correct corresponding "odily malfunctions. Fhen a person is sitting, for instance, they may not "e thinking a"out their legs, which are momentarily at rest; however, if someone touches them, they will again "e .aware/ of them. Chakras work in much the same way. Studies have found that varying areas of the "ody, when activated "y touch, movement or thought, evoke specific emotional and physical responses in much the same way that a smile can evoke the feeling of happiness, and actually increase circulation G even if one was feeling sluggish and unhappy "efore smiling. #his is one of the reasons that it is so important to perfectly perform all of the movements of the Islamic prayer, rather than hapha+ardly rushing through them. #he Takbir and Al Qiyyam together is very similar to the (ountain *ose in yoga, which has "een found to improve posture, "alance, and self$awareness. #his position also normali+es "lood pressure and "reathing, thus providing many "enefits to asthma and heart patients. #he placement of the hands on the chest during the Qiyyam position are said to activate the solar ple us .chakra,/ or nerve pathway, which directs our awareness of self in the world and controls the health of the muscular system, skin, intestines, liver, pancreas, gall"ladder and eyes. Fhen the hands are held open for !"a, they activate the heart .chakra,/ said to "e the center of the feelings of love, harmony, and peace, and to control love compassion. It also governs the health of the heart, lungs, thymus, immune system, and (uslim researchers have shown that when (uslims recite the Dur)an, old thoughts, feelings,

fears and guilt are released or healed, and "lood pressure and stress levels are reduced. >irtually all of the sounds of the Ara"ic language are uttered while reciting Dur)an, creating a "alance in all affected areas of the "ody. Some specific sounds, in fact, correspond to major organs in the "ody. In his research and creation of eurhythmy, Budolph Steiner %founder of the Faldorf Schools&,, found that vi"rations made when pronouncing the long vowels, HAH, H:H and HI,H stimulated the heart, lungs, and the thyroid, pineal, pituitary, and adrenal glands during la"oratory tests. #he position of R!#! is very similar to the Corward 5end *osition in yoga. Buku stretches the muscles of the lower "ack, thighs, legs and calves, and allows "lood to "e pumped down into the upper torso. It tones the muscles of the stomach, a"domen, and kidneys. Corming a right angle allows the stomach muscles to develop, and prevents fla""iness in the mid$section. #his position also promotes a greater flow of "lood into the upper regions of "ody G particularly to the head, eyes, ears, nose, "rain, and lungs G allowing mental to ins to "e released. Ever time, this improves "rain function and ones personality, and is an e cellent stance to maintain the proper position of the fetus in pregnant women. #he S!$! is said to activate the .crown chakra,/ which is related to a person)s spiritual connection with the universe around them and their enthusiasm for spiritual pursuits. #his nerve pathway is also correlated to the health of the "rain, nervous system, and pineal gland. Its healthy function "alances ones interior and e terior energies. In Sujud, we also "end; thus activating the ."ase chakra,/ which controls "asic human survival instincts and provides essential grounding. #his helps to develop levelheaded and positive thinking along with a highly motivated view of life, and maintains the health of the lymph and skeletal systems, the prostate, "ladder, and the adrenal glands. Fe also "end the .sacral chakra/ during Sujud, thus "enefiting and toning the reproductive organs. #he position of A% Qaa a& '() *!%!+& is similar to the #hunder"olt *ose in yoga, which firms the toes, knees, thighs, and legs. It is said to "e good for those prone to e cessive sleep, and those who like to keep long hours. Curthermore, this position assists in speedy digestion, aids the deto ification of the liver, and stimulates peristaltic action in the large intestine. Jast, "ut not least, the .throat chakra/ is activated "y turning the head towards first the right and then the left shoulder in the closing of the prayer. #his nerve path is linked to the throat, neck, arms, hands, "ronchial, and hearing G effecting individual creativity and communication. It is "elieved that a person who activates all seven nerve pathways at least once a day can remain well "alanced emotionally, physically and spiritually. Since this is the goal of all sincere (uslims, we all should strive to attain the perfection of stance, recitation, and "reathing recommended in the =adith while performing our prayers G the very same techni'ues of perfection taught in popular yoga, #ai Chi, and many other e ercise classes. 6
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By Karima Burns, MH, ND http://www.islamichealingnetwork.com/ 11/01/2001

CONCLUTION
5eing (uslim we "elieve that Islam is the only religion which is a complete religion. So we don not need to adopt yoga "ecause we have nama+ which is more "eneficial then yoga, which is our prayer and scientifically proved. Similarly, Islam condemn adoption of yoga even as an e ercise "ecause doing anything against the Sunnah, it will "ecome "iddat which is prohi"ited in Islam.

ASSIGNMENT NO 2 YOGA, A HINDU WORSHIP AND IN ISLAM

SUBMITTED BY: SABA AZHAR SUBMITTED TO: MIS HAFZA PROGRAME: B.B.A 4 GROUP: A

DATE: 26. SIGNATURE_________

03

.2008

REFERENCE
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