Eleven players each side, but what's the point?

Islam is supposed to be a simple enough religion for all. Somehow, some people - mostly Muslims (and scholars) tend to make it seems so complicated that many tend to back away from it.

AFAIK, in order for you to become a Muslim, you only need to comply with the five pillars - Profess the Shahadah (declaration that there is no other god but Allah, and Muhammad is His Messenger), pray five times a day, fast during Ramadhan, pay the Zakat (a portion of your money to help the poor, or for charity), and performing the Haj (pilgrimage to Mekah) if you have the capability and resources. A few Muslim sect believe that the fifth pillar is Jihad (holy struggle), based on certain dalil (reasonings based on Quran and hadith).

When you become a Muslim, you have to be a Mukmin (man of faith) as well, by believing in the six pillars of faith - Believe in Him (Allah), believe in His Archangels, believe in His Books, believe in His prophets and messengers, believe in the End of Days (aka Judgement Day) and believe in Qada' and Qadar (His Decree and the Destiny He has set).

Islam becomes complicated when people start to ask how and why to the most tedious and trivial things.

The prophet Muhammad gave the simplest answer for the "how". Just follow his lead and refer to the Quran and his sunnah (habit or usual practice). The sunnah is naratted through Hadith (reports, stories or statement made by the people who live in the prophet's era). When in doubt, consult someone who have better knowledge than you.

For the "why", there are those which the Quran and Hadith give specific answers and reasonings to, while there are some which we need to think for ourselves. However, when you can't find or think of any other answer, Islam has already provide the generic answer (which some critics calls the 'escape' answer) - that is "it is Allah's Will", so, "sami' na wa atho' na" (we hear and we obey).

However, the simplicity does not mean we can be simplistic. We need to always seek knowledge and if somehow we found something to be so complicated, go back to the basic. Always remember the five pillars of Islam and the six pillars of Faith.

Ten is the sum of the digits in my age

When I started blogging, I was only 23, and I was bored. I had to channel that boredom into something productive.

Now, I'm 28, but I'm still bored. I'm already 'productive', so I blog less.


Unlike some people I know, I really don't have any clever opinions to write about. My life story is boring (that's why I'm bored) and I find it hard to write something argumentative because I would end up counter-arguing my own arguments. If I did write something argumentative, either the entry become too long (which no one will read ~ tl:dr) or it will not be written at all (because the points become pointless).

However, I still like to challenge other people's opinion through argumentative comments. Not that I want them to accept the points I'm putting forth, or trying to put down their opinion, or to win the argument; I just want to see how they think, or how they really see it, or how they build up the opinion in the first place or how strongly they will hold on to their opinion.


Before I started blogging, I was actually not this way. I would usually argue because I disagree with the other person's opinion. I was usually either defensive or offensive, never really open or 'agreeing to disagree'. My main goal was always to win the argument. If I failed to win the argument, I would definitely hold on to my opinion and try my best to show how the other person's view is 'wrong' or flawed.

I believe employment, married life and fatherhood changed me. When I entered these different phases in life, my behavior, how I think, how I react, my emotional control, somehow changed. I'm listening or reading more now than I'm talking or writing. I seek to understand rather than making judgement. I prefer calm discussion over heated argument. I try to be more objective instead of becoming emotional. I usually find the positive side of things instead of lingering to the negative thoughts.

Of course, there are still times when I don't want to listen, when I argue, I become judgemental and when I'm emotional, but the frequency is much lower compared to years ago.


I believe I'm maturing. I'm still not matured, as maturity is an on-going process as long as the brain is still functioning and able to learn new things. Maturity stops when we are in our dotage or when our mental capacity starts declining. Maturity paused when we are clinging to our past and not willing to change our ways.

Let's move on. Press the play button.