Dance First. Think Later. It's The Natural Order
By Sumit Paul, New Age Islam
30 June 2025
“Dance, when you’re broken open. Dance, if you’ve torn the bandage off. Dance in the middle of the fighting. Dance in your blood. Dance when you’re perfectly free.” – Rumi
"Zumba dance, a high-energy fitness programme introduced in schools in Kerala by the General Education Department as part of its anti-drug campaign, is facing opposition from certain Muslim groups who argue that it goes against moral values.
The programme was introduced in schools following a directive from Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who stated that the dance— which combines dance and aerobic movements performed to lively music—would help reduce stress among schoolchildren and, in turn, counter the menace of drug abuse among young people."
Courtesy, NAI news
(Zumba Dance)
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Muslims in Kerala condemning Zumba dance on moral ground should read Ms Kaniz Fatima Sahiba's recent article on Yog (sorry, it's not Yoga; Yoga is an anglicised orthography of the Sanskrit word Yog) as a universal practice.
Yoga as a Universal Practice: Harmonizing Physical Wellness with Spiritual Beliefs
This Zumba dance is being practised as an antidote to counter the drug-addiction. What's wrong with that? Why should it be made a moral issue and relegated to being called a sin? You'll concur with me that now the followers of all faiths have become morally ultra-sensitive and unnecessarily touchy. Though Ms Fatima has eulogised Yog, there'll be Muslims who'll always call it a Hindu practice as it includes Surya Namaskar.
Likewise, many Muslims in Kerala and other parts of the country will be against Zumba dance and call it a non-Muslim activity or something against the moral values of Islam. To these fanatics, drug-addiction is okay but not Zumba dance that tackles this growing issue among the youngsters! Ridiculous! Isn't it? Dance is a synchronised body movement like Yog. It's the perpendicular expression of a horizontal desire.
When you dance, your purpose is not to get to a certain place on the floor. It’s to enjoy each step along the way. Even a devout Muslim like Shah Asad Rizvi said, "Any dance is the timeless interpretation of life."
There have been many Muslim dancers like Eshan Hilal, K M Abu (a PhD in Mohiniyattam), Mousbah Baalbaki, among others.
Dance controls the undesirable cravings of the human body and it has been clinically proven. Please don't associate everything with silly ethics and religious ethos. When Raqs Sharqi (Arabic for a Belly Dance/ Oriental Dance) is part of Islamic culture and civilization with its roots in Egypt, how can Zumba dance be obscene and morally sinful? Remember, 'Raqs Karna Hai Toh Phir Paon Ki Zanjeer Na Dekh ' (If you want to dance, don't care for the manacles and shackles that have chained your feet). Samuel Beckett rightly said, " Dance first. Think later. It's the natural order."
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A regular columnist for New Age Islam, Sumit Paul is a researcher in comparative religions, with special reference to Islam. He has contributed articles to the world's premier publications in several languages including Persian.
URl: https://www.newageislam.com/spiritual-meditations/dance-think-natural-order/d/136023
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