This story is from November 10, 2017

Highlights Naaz likely came to the attention of the 'fatwa'-issuing clerics when she recently shared a stage with nationally recognised yoga practitioner Ramdev

The woman has been provided police security on the instruction of the state chief minister Raghubar Das



A Shia cleric who condemned the 'fatwa' wondered what's wrong with teaching yoga

Some clerics issued a 'fatwa' against Rafia Naaz for teaching yoga while Muslim (Photo: ANI)

NEW DELHI: Some Muslim clerics in Jharkhand have slapped a ' fatwa ', or edict, against a woman from the community for teaching yoga while being Muslim, reported Mirror Now.

A Shia cleric , meanwhile, ridiculed the 'fatwa' and told a news agency it was "condemnable" and made "religion a joke".

In the meanwhile, the woman Rafia Naaz, who earns a living teaching yoga in the Jharkhand capital, has been provided police security on the instruction of the state chief minister Raghubar Das.

Naaz likely came to the attention of the 'fatwa'-issuing clerics when she recently shared a stage with nationally recognised yoga practitioner Ramdev .

Naaz is annoyed, both at the Muslim clerics as well as people from other religions.

"My problem is with members of both communities. On the one hand I am asked not to teach yoga and on the other, I am asked to change my name so that people do not hesitate to learn yoga from me", said Naaz to reporters.

"I will continue to do yoga and teach yoga till the end of my life," Naaz added

The Shia cleric who condemned the 'fatwa' wondered what's wrong with teaching yoga.

"Some people have made religion a joke, what is wrong if some woman teaches yoga? Protesting this is highly condemnable," said Maulana Saif Abbas, to ANI.

