REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, By: Erik Purnama Putra, owner of blog elangkesepian.wordpress.com

Reading activities are often ignored by many people. They consider reading as a hard work that takes time and is only feasible to be done by particular person.

In point of view of our society, if there is someone who reads a book while waiting for public transport, that someone will usually get a label as a smart ass.

I had an experience when I was asked by a friend via short messages (SMS). My friend asked what activity that I was doing at that time. "I was sitting and reading a newspaper." That answer was sent to my friend, who had five year did not see me. A moment later, his reply came into my cell phone. "Your deed has been like a boss."

Suddenly, the answer made me sad. What was wrong with the answer that I sent. After that, I thought, public was still thinking that reading is an exclusive activity. I mean, reading is considered only worth to be done by certain groups.

My opinion might be wrong, but in fact, it is very easy to find people who think like that. It is because, that was not my first time got a satire from friends, everytime I said that I was reading, when they sent a short message and asked what I was doing.

Actually, the Qur'an which is a revelation received by the Prophet Muhammad from Allah SWT, was a noun (masdar) from a verb 'qara'a' which means 'read'. Prophet Muhammad who was illiterate and unable to read even asked to read the Quran. It implied that by reading, someone can escape from inanity.

As hadist expressed by Prophet Muhammad, "Be people who teach or study or listeners (of people who read Quran) or lover (of science) and do not become the fifth (means, do not teach, do not learn, do not like to listen to lectures, and do not love science), then you will be destroyed." (Baihaqi).

Thus, it is very clear if someone reads, he will be free from destruction a.k.a stupidity. It was identical with gullible and be manipulated by others due to lack of knowledge.

Thus, nothing needs to be debated among Muslims for reading, if you want to become intelligent and knowledgeable. In fact, knowledge can only be obtained from reading. If we love reading, then insha Allah, we will get a respectable position in Hereafter.

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