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Fatwa CenterPractising Buddhist meditation exercises for health purposes
Question
Assalamualaikum.In general,to do mindfulness meditation training,we sit in ANY position as long it make us relax and alert.Then we focus on our breath,if our attention wonder,we gently bring back our attention to our breath.We do this 10-20 minutes every day.The mindfulness meditation give us many benefit especially for focusing strength,relax,and lesser the anxiety with SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE. http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mindfulness_(psychology) Everything seems ok,but the real problem is THE ORIGIN OF MINDFULNESS MEDITIATION. http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anapanasati They,the Buddhists use this meditation to achieve something.I thinks it is not for worship,but as a part of their activity to achive something.I am not sure,you can check it at the given link. O scholar,it is permissible for us to do this meditation? We use it as exercise to made our certain part brain stronger to get certain benefit.Or it,s haram because focus on breath is a part of bhuddhist activity? Or this activity undirectly or directly support the bhuddhist? O scholar,please carefully answer this question,as this exercise give many benefits for health and even in salah too (easier to focus) and widely use by other people to cure the depression,by Allah permission. I have tried my best to write this question and given the information,so scholar can deduce the best fatwa from it.Wallahu'alam.
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His Slave and Messenger.
We have previously warned against practicing the relaxation exercises associated with Buddhist polytheistic rituals and the so-called universal energy in Fataawa 85297, 142145 and 252025.
We advise you to consult a reliable Muslim doctor or a skillful psychiatrist and ask him about these exercises and whether they have a scientific basis. If he attests to them being beneficial, then there is no harm in practicing them on condition that they do not involve any polytheistic rituals. It should be noted that the Muslim is commanded to avoid imitating the disbelievers in whatever is peculiar to them, even a certain sitting posture (that is a part of their polytheistic rituals), and even if he does not hold a similar intention to that held by them in doing so.
However, it is enough for the Muslim to turn to his Lord and to seek His help, devote himself to His remembrance, and focus on one main objective, namely to strive in preparing himself for the Hereafter, in addition to practicing common physical exercise. He would thus be in no need of such practices. Allaah, the Exalted, says (what means): {Those who have believed and whose hearts are assured by the remembrance of Allaah. Unquestionably, by the remembrance of Allaah hearts are assured.} [Quran 13:28]
‘Abdullaah ibn Mas‘ood 
narrated that the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: "Whoever makes all concerns as one concern, the concern of his hereafter, Allaah will spare him the trouble of the concerns of this worldly life; and whoever is split in concerns over matters of the world, Allaah will not care in which of its valleys he perishes." [Ahmad]
Allaah Knows best.
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