Religious Scholars Warn Against Yoga, Citing It as a Shirk
Participants of the International Yoga Day activities by the Indian High Commissio of the Maldives on June 21, 2025 | Photo: Indian High Commission of the Maldives
The Religious Scholars’ Union of the Maldives, Ilmuveringe Gulhun, has labelled yoga as a religious act of Hinduism and called on Maldivian companies and organisations to refrain from holding yoga classes, describing participation as shirk, the gravest sin in Islam.
In a press release issued yesterday, the union said its research found yoga constitutes a type of religious prayer in Hinduism. The statement noted that 104 religious scholars in the Maldives agreed with this assessment.
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The Ministry of Islamic Affairs, in a letter to the Maldives Police Service (MPS), similarly described yoga as an act contrary to Islamic Shari’a. The union urged Maldivians to avoid participating in yoga altogether.
ކަސްރަތު ކުލާސްތަކާއި ސުޓޫޑިއޯ ފަދަ ތަފާތު ނަންނަމުގައި، ހިންދޫ ދީނުގެ އަޅުކަމެއް ކަމުގައިވާ ޔޯގާއާ ގުޅޭ ކަންކަން ހިންގުން ކުށްވެރިކޮށް އެކަމުގެ ޙުކުމް ބަޔާން ކުރުން pic.twitter.com/yZrLSIaASK— 𝐈𝐥𝐦𝐮𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐆𝐮𝐥𝐡𝐮𝐧 (@ilmugeGulhun) September 30, 2025
The union’s warning follows past tensions surrounding yoga in the Maldives. The recent opening of a wellness centre in Male’ that offers yoga classes has reignited the conversation regarding yoga and whether it is permissible to hold yoga classes in a Muslim nation such as the Maldives.
In 2022, celebrations for International Yoga Day at Galolhu Stadium in Malé were disrupted when a group of radicals stormed the venue. The event had been organised by the Youth Ministry in collaboration with the Indian Cultural Center. Prior to the event, the union had petitioned the Ministry of Islamic Affairs to ban yoga activities at a state level, citing concerns for the Maldivian constitution and Islam.
The Prosecutor General’s Office (PGO) announced on 17 June 2025 that it would not pursue charges against individuals previously accused in connection with the 2022 incident unless there is clear evidence of their direct involvement. The PGO said it will continue legal action only against those for whom direct involvement in the assault and intimidation of participants can be proven.
International Yoga Day activities in 2025 were held at Taj Exotica Maldives, a private island resort, with around 500 participants attending.
