PALAKKAD: The announcement by a fitness centre in Pudunagaram in Palakkad describing itself as an “Islamic-friendly gym” has sparked widespread debate on social media and among the public, with many, including right wing organisations and political parties, questioning the concept and its implications.
The controversy began after a promotional video released by the gym went viral online.
In it, owner Nawaz Muthu T said the facility would function without loud music and have separate timings and spaces for men and women.
“We are launching an Islamic-friendly gym, and I believe it will be the first of its kind in Kerala,” Nawaz said in the now-deleted video, inviting interested people to visit. He also clarified that the gym was an existing fitness centre that had been around for nearly 15 years and is currently being renovated.
The video quickly drew criticism, with several social media users questioning whether the gym was intended exclusively for Muslims.
In a subsequent video, Nawaz clarified that the gym would be open to people of all faiths. “A lot of people say this is a Muslim gym or a gym only for Muslims. I am not saying that. I have never said this is a gym only for Muslims,” he said.
Nawaz said the term “Islamic-friendly” referred to certain operational practices rather than restrictions on membership. “Women and men will not work out together. They will have separate time and separate space. There will be no loud music,” he said.
Nawaz maintained that many people who strictly follow such practices avoid conventional gyms as they are uncomfortable with mixed workout spaces or music. “Everyone can come.
The only condition is there will be no open music. Those who want to listen to music can use headphones,” he said. The clarification drew mixed reactions. Some supported the idea of a separate workout spaces and timings, while others objecting to the use of the term “Islamic-friendly”, arguing that it unnecessarily attached a religious label to a commercial fitness facility.
