Maha's Essay

Reading has at all times and in all ages been a great source of knowledge. Today the ability to read is highly valued and very important for social and economic advancement. In today’s world with so much more to know and to learn and also the need for a conscious effort to conquer the divisive forces, the importance of reading has increased. In the olden days if reading was not cultivated or encouraged, there was a substitute for it in the religious sermon and in the oral tradition. In the nineteenth century, Victorian households used to get together for an hour or so in the evenings and listen to books being read aloud, But ,today we not only read, we also want to read more and more and catch up with the events taking place around us.
Reading skills are essential to succeed in society. Those who are good readers tend to exhibit progressive social skills. A person who is widely read is able to mix with others. He is a better conversationalist then those who do not read. He can stand his ground. Reading broadens the vision. It is in a way a substitute for travel. It is not possible to travel as much one would like to and reading can fill in the gap created by the lack of travel. Having confidence in reading only comes from the daily practice of reading. A good reader can interact with others in a far better way because reading has widened his vision and point of view. Thus a widely-read man is a better conversationalist and is able to see the other side point of view.
Educational researchers have found that there is a strong correlation between reading and academic success. A student who is a good reader is more likely to do well in school and pass exams than a student who is a weak reader. Good reader can understand the individual sentences and organizational structure of a piece of writing. They can comprehend ideas, follow arguments and detect implications. Good readers can extract from the writing what is important for the particular task they are employed in and they can do it quickly. Educational researchers have also found a strong correlation between reading and vocabulary knowledge. Students who have a large vocabulary are usually good readers. This is very surprising, since the best way to acquire large vocabulary is to read extensively and if you read extensively you’re likely to be or become a good reader.
Books are no doubt very faithful friend of a reader. They never betray but accompany the reader, either sitting alone or traveling. Those who are habitual of reading feel comforted with books. It soothes and relieves tension and loneliness. Medically it also plays a vital role to eradicate depression and unrest. Books are great assassins of boredom. It just kills the boring time.
We are the dwellers of this speedy advancing world. Everything is moving so fast just like a rocket. To keep the pace, we must also need to do things that benefit us. Reading is no doubt a stupendous habit. It can make a stagnant, barren mind rich and cultivatable. It pours rich thoughts in minds. It brings the best out of someone. Reading also helps one to see the present in relation to the past and the future and thus develops a historical perspective. But, care is needed to ensure that reading doesn’t become a substitute for the real life. The moment one ceases to enjoy the ordinary pleasures and happiness of life and is content to enjoy them vicariously through fictional and historical representation, one loses all the benefits of reading and loses contact with life.
As a result of reading books over a period of time, a learning process is formed. There are a great many benefits to be gained from reading books. It is proven that in this technological society the demands for higher levels of literacy are creating unfavorable consequences for those who fall short. This is even more of reason to get into the habit of reading books, but with the cinema and television taking up a great deal of attention of children, teenagers and even adults, the habit of serious reading is dying out. We must never let it

A great man is one who serves humanity. Allama Iqbal is also one of them. He is our national poet. He is also our national hero. Iqbal is my favourite personality. He was born at Sialkot on 9th November 1877. His father’s name was Noor Muhammad. He was a noble and kind man. Allama Iqbal got his early education from Sialkot. He got the degree of M.A philosophy from Government College Lahore. Then he went to England for higher education. He worked as professor and lawyer but he did not like this jobs.
He was interested in poetry and national problems. He wanted to awake the Muslims from the deep dream. He expressed his feelings in his poems. He wrote many poems for children and youth. His poetry is full of messages. He gave the idea of Pakistan for Indian Muslims in his address at Allah Abad in 1930. He was a true Muslim and kind man. Bang-e-Dara, Bal-e-Jibreel, Zarb-e-kaleem are his famous urdu poetry books. Allama Iqbal could not see his dream come true and died on 21th April 1938. His tomb is near Badshahi Mosque Lahore. He lives in the hearts of the nation.