Reader

Assalam Alaikom,

I am a reader. I think I’ve been one since my childhood and I used to read ‘The Impossible Man’ short stories. It grew with me to bigger books and more sophisticated articles. I haven’t started swimming in the vast sea that is English literature till last year though, which is something I regret much. Reading it in it’s native language of course, because I read some translated works before. In nine months I read 4 novels by Charles Dickens, 3 books by Arthur Conan Doyle and the Game of thrones book series in addition to numerous articles online I wouldn’t be able to keep track of if I tried. Some may say that’s not much but it is, compared to how little time I have between assignments, projects, lectures and personal life. I read every where thanks to Moon Reader on my mobile phone and the awesome guys at Project Gutenberg. Some of my friends know my almost a pre exam ritual which is reading until the exam paper is handed to us. In conclusion, I love to read and I consider my self a serious reader.

That is a necessary introduction to the topic I’m talking about today. It’s a very sensitive and important issue and I’ve had several arguments over it. I do not know what it’s called but my problem is books that have filth in them. First I’ll define what I mean by filth then I will show you why I’m not a baby, soft nor a hypocrite that secretly loves it. By filth I mean anything that would make you change your mind about giving this book to your sister or your child even though you think it’s a brilliant book for a talented writer. Intense sexual description is at the top of that list. I’m not asking writers to ban sex in their writing, but you have to agree that sometimes you feel that this passage was written for a porn movie. It mostly doesn’t serve the story, the characters nor is it a build up for any event. When they give an explanation for it, if they bother giving one at all, it’s that it’s realistic. I don’t care about realism. I want to read a beautiful piece of work. I want to enjoy your art. I’m not asking for clichés and romantic notions, I’m asking you to be creative.

Many people disagree with me on this point and the responses to it vary from a sceptical look that tells you he doesn’t believe a word you say you fake hypocrite, to a condescending one that makes you feel like a child. Suddenly everything is turned. You who don’t want filth is the filthy one, and immediately the idiotic questions like:’Are you telling me you are a saint ? You don’t have needs ?’ come up. That’s exactly the opposite of what I’m saying. I’m a human being but above that I’m Muslim. I have needs and instincts but I have to control it until I’m married. I read because I love it or more precisely because I can’t help not to. How is it that I’m wrong in wanting a clean book ?