Practising Yoga is not against Islam !

Saudi Arabia’s first certified yoga instructor and Padma Shri awardee, Nouf Marwaai

Riyadh (Saudi Arabia) – The people of Saudi Arabia need to understand that the practice of yoga is not against Islam. There was no opposition to yoga in Saudi Arabia. On the contrary, there was some resistance from outside. There is nothing wrong in studying and learning any philosophy to improve our lives. Of course, Vedic philosophy and yoga come from the background of the Vedas, which are truly ancient and beneficial to humanity, said Nouf Marwaai, Saudi arabia’s first certified yoga instructor and the first Arab woman to receive the Padma Shri award.

Marwaai added,

1. When the doctors told my parents that I would not be able to live due to my illness, I stayed at home in Riyadh and learnt yoga and it really changed my life.

2. The people of Saudi Arabia adopted yoga without any hesitation 7 years ago. Now this ancient Indian practice is very popular in the country and it is dominated by women.

3. Women practice yoga in Saudi Arabia Today. 56 girls and only 10 boys participated in the second Saudi Open Yogasana tournament organized by Al-Wahda Club and Saudi Yoga Committee in Mecca this January.

4. Saudis know their religion. They don’t shy away from learning about different cultures and adopting something that is not controversial. They are interested in adopting anything that is good for health. Last year, 10,000 people, including Saudis, participated in the International Yoga Day.

About Nouf Marwaai

Marwaai was diagnosed with autoimmune disease called lupus erythematosus at the age of 17 and this is where her yoga journey began. She stayed home in Riyadh and learned yoga. Later, she decided to come to India to study yoga and in 2008 she came to India to study yoga and Ayurveda. Marwaai herself started teaching yoga in Saudi Arabia in 2017. In 2018, she was awarded the Padma Shri by the Government of India. She heads the Saudi Yoga Committee, established in 2021, and also runs the Arab Yoga Foundation.