Is Yoga Really Against Islam?

I have tried my level best to mine out reality on the topic of Yoga and Islam. Term yoga itself means to yoke or to union and Jesus said:'My yoke is easy, my burden is light.' In polytheists' view Biryani belongs to Muslim, yoga to Hindu and wine belongs to Christians and so we are all label-based fucking idiots. Answer to the question whether yoga is anti-Islam will be given soon by supreme court in India for petition filed against compulsion of yoga in school by anti-Yoga groups.

So question arises is yoga really a Hindu's religious activity?

Yoga is of many forms some of which are off course religious and others are not. Lets take an example of Bhakti yoga which is based on complete devotion to Hindu gods but others forms of yoga believe that yoga is practice to unite your soul with only god. It may be Allah for Muslims, Lord Shiva for Hindus or Jesus for Christians. Yoga is nothing other than enlightenment that fosters mental and physical strength. Issue of yoga being anti-Islam is being raised because of opening squence of yoga practice called-'Surya Namaskara'. Due to misconception about Surya Namaskara that it is a series of postures and asanas designed as a prayer to Hindu god-'Surya(Sun)' We all know Islam places its foremost emphasis on only one god and assumes that there is no god besides Allah.

Namaskar means greeting in English and we can term it as similar one to Salam Alekum. And I would like to ask simple question that how a thing that has its existence a long time before Islam can be anti-Islam. We all know chanting is integral part of yoga while breathing and this chanting practice is also a another big reason that yoga is considered anti-Islamic. People from Hindu religion can chant sound-' ommm', Muslims can chant-'Aamen..' and Jewish can chant-'Am Shalom'. So if you try to pronounce all these religious worlds you will find crust of all sound pitches the same. So while doing yoga you can pronounce it as per your convenience. 

According to Hindu yoga practitioners, not only Hindu mythology worships the nature's creations but Greeks also do so. Muslim also are not different, they pray for moon and stars. Does nature's creation have ever discriminated among us? No. Then what is wrong in thanking the Sun or moon. Prayers by Muslims to Allah are nothing but a form of yoga presented in different form and it may be possible that they are derived from yoga itself. Every wise mankind knows their significance. Following picture will make it clear:

According to some Muslim maulana(Teachers), their religion considers that nothing or none is worthy of being worshiped other than Allah and Surya Namaskara means bowing to the sun (Hindu god) and we are not allowed to do so. But many other Muslim Maulana said -" There is nothing wrong in practicing yoga by a muslim. Many Islamic Maulana misunderstood the idea of yoga. Surya namaskara is not about worshiping Hindu god but as a Muslim while practicing you can keep your mindset different than worshiping, you can think of Allah. Surya Namaskara is really a refreshing exercise for body."

In Muslim community, when you say that you are practicing yoga people start reacting negatively but this was a condition before few years. Now yoga is being shared by many religions like Muslim, Christians and Jewish people. There many past incidents in UK where Yoga was banned because they considered it as Hindu's holy activity. One priest at church in UK said-"Our church must follow catholic activities like gospel but not Hindu spiritual activities and they are demonic."

Conclusion:

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Yes, Yoga is Hindu religion's great heritage of culture but its sole aim is to achieve mental, physical and spiritual benefits. If you consider yoga as spiritual dimension it has got nothing to do with religion, whether you are Muslim, Christian or Sikh nothing matters. You can practice yoga with chanting of your own religion's Mantras. Yoga itself is a union with god with following activities so how it can be religious:

1. Niyama (Personal Care and Observance)

2. Pranayama (Control on breathing exercise)

3. Asanas (Postures for body)

4. Yamas (Universal Morality)

5. Pratyahara (Sense Control)

6. Dhyana (Concentration and inner awareness)

7. Dharana (Meditation on Spirituality)

8. Samadhi (Union with divinity)

And about Muslims-They can practice all yogic activities without bowing to any other god.

*Reality of Surya Namaskara:

Surya Namaskara is physical exercise combined with yogic breathing activities. It is used to align human body with earth's solar cycle. We all know scientifically it is proved that our bodies are affected by gravitational forces of Sun and Moon. So to reap all benefits of these divine forces for your spiritual and physical strength it is necessary in Yoga to perform Surya Namaskara as opening sequence. So don't consider it as a salutation or respect towards sun but instead think it as a expression of gratitude towards almighty Allah who created such a source of energy for all living beings. This is conclusion I have withdrawn on myself.. Now its your turn to judge whether it is anti-Islam or anti-Christian.