– Reading is an active mental process: Unlike sitting in front of the idiot box (TV), reading makes you use your brain. While reading you would be forced to reason out many things which are unfamiliar to you. In this process you would use the grey cells of your brain to think and become smarter.
– Reading improves your vocabulary: Remember in elementary school when you learned how to infer the meaning of one word by reading the context of the other words in the sentence? You get the same benefit from book reading. While reading books, especially challenging ones, you will find yourself exposed to many new words you wouldn’t be otherwise.
– Improves concentration and focus: It requires you to focus on what you are reading for long periods. Unlike magazines, Internet posts or e-Mails that might contain small chunks of information, books tell the whole story. Since you must concentrate in order to read, like a muscle, you will get better at concentration.
– Builds self-esteem: The more you read, the more knowledgeable you become. With more knowledge comes more confidence. More confidence builds self-esteem. So it’s a chain reaction. Since you are so well read, people look to you for answers. Your feelings about yourself can only get better.
– Improves memory: Many studies show if you don’t use your memory, you lose it. Crossword puzzles are an example of a word game that staves off Alzheimer’s. Reading, although not a game, helps you stretch your memory muscles in a similar way. Reading requires remembering details, facts and figures and in literature, plot lines, themes and characters.
– Improves your discipline: Making time to read is something we all know we should do, but who schedules book reading time every day? Very few… That’s why adding book reading to your daily schedule and sticking to it, improves discipline.
– Improves creativity: Reading about diversity of life and exposing yourself to new ideas and more information helps to develop the creative side of the brain as it imbibes innovation into your thinking process.
– Reduces boredom: One of the rules I have is if I am feeling bored, I will pick up a book and start reading. What I’ve found by sticking to this is that I become interested in the book’s subject and stop being bored. I mean, if you’re bored anyway, you might as well be reading a good book, right?
If you want to break the monotony of a lazy, uncreative and boring life, go and grab an interesting book. Turn the pages to explore a new world filled with information and ingenuity.
How many of the rulings which affect YOU personally -on a daily basis- do you know properly? e.g. The Correct aqeedah of Ahlus-Sunnah, Rulings on the prayer, purification, proper & simple tajweed rules on how to recite the Qur’an, the dealings you have with the people you interact with: your family, your friends, teachers, co-workers, e.t.c
How many of the Surahs -you read in your prayer- do you know their tafsir / meanings?
Do you know the details and the benefits of the Seerah of the The Prophet (SallahAllaahu alayhi wasallam)?
How many of the names of Allaah do you know? Their meanings?
And, And, And,
Please start reading for your own sake, ask Allaah sincerely to benefit you, and most importantly to grant you action after knowledge.
Remember the Power of Reading. Especially beneficial reading.
And Remember the first word & the first command to be revealed to the best Prophet sent to the best Ummah is: ‘Read’.
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Have a nice reading.
Journey To Knowledge 