Reading is no longer a hobby for many, reading is crucial to produce generations with high emotional intelligence

By, Raihan Rosman

More than twenty years ago, reading used to be a very popular hobby. Almost everyone when introducing themselves in a classroom at the very start of the year, would say “Hi, my name is A. My hobby is reading.” There were children who would also make a remark about their favourite books, characters, authors, and exchange stories with one another.

Back then, early childhood years were spent by being introduced to various reading materials such as “Arthur,” “The Magic School Bus,” “Clifford the Big Red Dog,” “Dr. Seuss and Little Critter.” Young children during those years (the 1990s) were still enthusiastic about the very act of reading though the selection of books was different. The collections by Enid Blyton and Roald Dahl were ‘in-things’ in primary schools back then before the birth of J. K. Rowling’s “Harry Potter” series! 

The need to reintroduce reading as a favourite pastime as it is pivotal for the betterment of future generations in the country. The trend of over-idolising science subjects and mathematics may have led children to feel that reading is solely for those who want to pursue their education in the arts. Do not be appalled if one day nobody would know or have read the great works of Charles Dickens, Jane Austen and the Brontë sisters. If the classics were not your cuppa, perhaps, you would venture into the world of speculative works i.e., “Lord of the Rings,” “Dune and Hunger Games,” to name a few.

The act of reading is not simply for entertainment, but it is possible to develop well-rounded individuals who are not only high in intelligence quotient (IQ) but emotional quotient (EQ) as well. If you remember the stories we read and the film adaptations we watched when we were younger, most of them were didactic in nature. The “Narnia,” “Peter Pan” and “Alice in Wonderland” might sound like children’s entertainment, but they had taught us about kindness, family ties, and most importantly, the power of dreams.

The very act of reading will broaden your worldview thus it will make you see the world differently. Perhaps, these stories will make you a more understanding, compassionate and emphatic person. Despite the vast number of artificial intelligence (AI)-related works in this modern world, empathy is one of the biggest traits that AI cannot adopt, thus is it is the only thing that can differentiate a human being from a machine! This can be seen in “Ex Machina” where the AI, Ava, eventually saves herself towards the end of the film, and left Caleb locked and isolated to death.

We read news articles stating that there is an increasing number of youths quitting their jobs as they are unable to fit into the workforce. The very reasons for these happenings are dependent on the very question whether the emotional intelligence (EI) of our younger generations have been nurtured correctly or abandoned entirely due to the fast-paced lives we are living nowadays. EI is the ability to understand, use and manage our own emotions in positive ways to relieve stress, communicate effectively, empathise with others as well as overcome challenges. Of course, our psychology scholars are more well-versed in this field, but as an English major, I believe and am confident in the power of reading, especially for children and young adults. 

Sometimes, we take literature or the very act of reading for granted – as it can successfully equip youths to understand one’s own emotions and others as well. Literature will indirectly aid in addressing mental health issues as well. For example, Michael Rosen’s, “The Sad Book,” explores sadness, depression, loss and grief in a very subtle way – simply through illustrations without a single word used. It signifies how empowering it is for a book to speak about very crucial issues, for all ages and backgrounds through visuals. Being able to feel (and express) emotions, is not a sign of weakness instead it is applaudable as ‘putting oneself in other people’s shoes’ is not an easy task.

Nowadays we have quite a number of physical and online bookstore chains in the marketplace. Before it is too late, let us urge our fellow students, family and friends to inculcate the culture of reading pronto. We must not forget that reading is the first message that was taught to our Prophet Muhammad (peace be upn him) in Surah Al-Alaq: “Read, O Prophet, in thename of your Lord who created” (96:1). Even one of the well-known aHadith of the Prophet (pbuh) also emphasises on seeking knowledge: “When a man dies, his good deeds come to an end, except three: Ongoing charity, beneficial knowledge, and a righteous child who will pray for him.” This illustrates that the importance of reading, seeking and sharing knowledge to everyone. Let’s bring back the tagline: “My hobby is reading. My favourite book is…” among our school children and young adults – that will indirectly contribute to producing high EI generations for the betterment of Malaysia and the Muslim Ummah. ***

(Dr. Raihan Rosman is an academic in the Department of English Language and Literature at AbdulHamid AbuSulayman Kulliyyah of Islamic Revealed Knowledge and Human Sciences (AHAS KIRKHS), International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM).)