Indonesia Islamic body to mull ban on smoking and yoga
Indonesia’s top Islamic body meets at the weekend for what looks set to be a hot theological debate on a range of issues including whether Muslims should be allowed to smoke, abstain from voting or even do yoga.
….A call from some ulema, or religious councils, for a ban on smoking will be discussed at the meeting in Padang Panjang, around 870 km (540 miles) north west of the capital Jakarta.
The motion has also ready met opposition from councils in parts of east and central Java, where the tobacco industry is a key part of the economy.
How powerful are economic interests in the organization of Muslim society?
