Yoga as Exercise Allowed or Linked with Worship Practice

Question

I’ve been thinking about joining a yoga class for health and fitness. Some friends told me yoga is linked to Hindu worship and isn’t allowed in Islam, while others said it’s just exercise and stretching. Can Muslims do yoga?

Bottom Line

There are so many effective exercises better than yoga try pilates, swimming, cycling, or strength training instead.

Quick Answer

Scholars differ on yoga. Some forbid it entirely because of its Hindu roots, while others allow it when stripped of rituals. If it involves chanting, meditation, or religious symbolism, it becomes haram. If it is only postures and breathing for fitness, it may be tolerated, but safer choices like pilates or mobility training avoid the doubt.

Key Points

• Scholars disagree: some forbid yoga fully, others allow it only as physical exercise.
• Intention matters: health and stretching differ from acts of worship.
• Religious elements, chants, sun rituals, or mantras are haram.
• Cautious approach: avoid doubtful practices and use clean fitness alternatives.

Detailed Answer

Islam encourages strength and good health. The Prophet ﷺ praised activities such as archery, swimming, and horseback riding, showing that physical exercise is praiseworthy. Qur’an 8:60 also encourages preparing for strength.)

Religious Roots of Yoga

Yoga traces back over 2,500 years to ancient India, where the term first appeared in the Rig Veda as a symbol of “yoking.” Today, it has grown into a global wellness phenomenon, with the yoga industry valued at approximately USD 107 billion in 2023 and projected to reach USD 200 billion by 2030.

Originally, yoga was deeply spiritual, a path toward union with the divine involving practices like prostrations to the sun, chanting mantras, and meditation. Scholars such as Ibn Taymiyyah in Iqtida’ al-Sirat al-Mustaqim warned that adopting these rituals even without the intention of worship can erode a Muslim’s distinct identity and inadvertently normalize shirk-based practices.

Despite being marketed today as “just exercise” or “relaxation,” many yoga forms, such as Kundalini or Bhakti, retain spiritual elements tied to Hinduism. Because of this, contemporary fatwas caution Muslims against joining sessions that involve chanting, ritual postures, or meditation rooted in non-Islamic traditions. Instead, alternative fitness options such as pilates, mobility drills, or structured breathing techniques are encouraged, offering the same physical and mental benefits without compromising one’s faith.

Fitness Without Rituals

Some contemporary scholars allow yoga if stripped of all religious content, reducing it to stretching and posture exercises. Imam al-Nawawi discussed avoiding imitation of non-Muslim religious rituals in Sharh Sahih Muslim. On this basis, if yoga is purely fitness, without chants or mantras, some allow it. Yet, because of its origins, the safer view is to choose alternative exercises free from doubt.

What This Means for You

If a yoga class includes mantras, spiritual talk, or rituals, you should avoid it. When it is limited to stretching and exercise without religious elements, there may be allowance, but caution is better. Alternatives like pilates, mobility drills, or strength-based stretching can give the same health benefits without controversy.

And Allah knows best

References

Primary Sources

• Qur’an 8:60: Encouragement to prepare strength and maintain fitness.
• Sunan Abu Dawud (4031) : Hadith on physical activities and maintaining strength.

Secondary Sources

• Al-Nawawi, Sharh Sahih Muslim: On avoiding imitation of non-Muslim religious rituals.
• Ibn Taymiyyah, Iqtida’ al-Sirat al-Mustaqim: Warning against imitating other faiths in worship-like practices.
• Islamic Fiqh Academy, Jeddah: Rulings on modern practices with religious roots.

Modern Research & Reports

• Fortune Business Insights – Yoga Market Report 2023: Valued at USD 107 billion in 2023, projected to reach USD 200 billion by 2030.
• Statista – Yoga Industry in the U.S.: Data on participation, revenue, and growth of yoga as a fitness trend.