Name: Syed Muhammad Abdullah

Institution: GC University Lahore

Class: FSc Pre-Engineering
Session: 2019-2021
Cell Number: 0310-7396669
Books make you realize the realities and truths which life obscures. They make
you to travel to the unknown lands of experiences, thoughts and dreams which a
writer conveys to you through his words. Apart from the progress which the
modern age has brought to the mankind, the tragedy is; that it has taken away the
books from our lives. The readers of words and interpreters of thoughts are
becoming rarer among us. We are gradually losing one of the fortunes of humanity
and our legacy of book-reading. Now, the responsibility falls on our shoulders to
revive and rediscover those colors of life which are hidden in the immense world
of books. Having read some of the most thoughtful of books, I present them with
excitement and hope. Let’s revive the lost habit of book-reading together.

The Reconstruction of Religious Thought in Islam

Author: Allama Muhammad Iqbal
Theme: Metaphysical Theology and Philosophy in Islam
Of books, there are a few which have the ability to completely bestow a new
dimension of thought and a fresh outlook to one’s mind regarding the very basic of
his realities. This book is one of those few. Written
by our national poet Allama Muhammad Iqbal at a
time when science had challenged its own
foundations and its widely-accepted notions of
reality, this book was and is a guidance to those who
seek answers regarding the metaphysical nature, of
this universe, of our creator and of our own
existence. In this book, Iqbal describes Islamic
Metaphysical Theology & Philosophy in the light of
the glorious Qur’an aligning it with the modern
scientific developments in Physics, Philosophy and
Psychology. In this age of turbulence when atheism
& agnosticism has been on the rise, Iqbal endeavors
to cater for the most troubling queries regarding the nature of universe & our
creations, contemporizes and describes the Islamic concepts of mystic and
prophetic consciousness, clarifies the mist surrounding the topic of evolution &
Islam and guides the Muslim thought to its revival. Although not an easy book to
read, this book is one of those which must be read even with toil. It can also give
us deep insights into the personality, beliefs and diverse knowledge of our national
poet. This book is Iqbal’s another gift for us. Let us all unpack it and revive the
Islamic tradition of contemplation in ourselves.

1984
Author: George Orwell
Theme: Dystopian Novel featuring a freedom less society
“1984” written by George Orwell is one of the finest dystopian novels ever written
in the English literature. Narrating the story of a man named Winston living in a
completely freedom-less authoritarian society, this novel teaches us a very
important message; that liberty, love, and cognitive freedom are the fundamental
instincts of man which cannot be suppressed
even with the most repressive of methods. The
story is set in 1984 in Oceania (as the Western
World) in which; a despotic regime known as
“the party” is continually repressing the
people, the concept of all the virtues has been
reversed, those who even think against the
party are being persecuted by the thought
police, the history is continuously being
erased, and the world is in a state of
continuous warfare. Despite all these
conditions, Winston Smith still ventures to go
against the party and pursues his journey for
love and liberty. Eventually, Winston doesn’t
succeed and is arrested by the thought police. Ending with Winston giving-up his
struggle and love, this novel reinforces the importance of core values which make
us humans and reminds us how authoritarianism represses them. Being a classic
work in English literature, this novel continues to haunt the imagination of its
readers so that the importance of freedom continues to be realized.

Animal Farm
Author: George Orwell
Theme: Satirical Novella/Fable on Soviet Russia showing how absolute
power corrupts
A beautifully-crafted tale of an animal farm whose animals revolted against their
master & took control of the farm themselves, “Animal farm” is one of the
masterpieces of Orwell. Beautiful and simple in words yet delivering and
contemplative in impact, it is a book which we can easily read and yet extract the
most sophisticated of lessons. Orwell wrote animal farm as a satire on Soviet
Russia. The events in the story are similar to those succeeding the Bolshevik
Revolution in Russia. Animals of the “manor farm” are being mistreated and they
rebel against their master. After taking
control, the animals manage the farm well.
However, pigs, the wisest of them, gradually
start to consolidate power. At last, the story
culminates in animals eventually becoming
servants of the pigs and losing their freedom
which was the sole purpose for which the
animals rebelled. Animal farm contains food of
thought for us all. It tells us how freedom and
liberty can be achieved by sheer
determination and unity, irrespective of the
initial conditions and resources. It tells us
always to keep in mind the purpose for which
we collectively struggle. The authoritarianism
of pigs and animals blindly following them, gives us the message of never following
anyone blindly. The unfortunate fate of the animals compels us to reflect how the
most fortunate benefitted from a revolution intended for freedom rather than
those ordinary who bore the brunt of it. Being short in length yet extensive in
substance, Animal farm is the likeliest to become the most favorite of any reader.

Pakistan: Beyond The Crisis State

Author/Editor: Maleeha Lodhi
Theme: Assessment of the political, ideological, economic, institutional
condition of Pakistan and critical perspectives about Pakistan’s future

Comprised of essays written by experts regarding the overall situation of Pakistan

and its future, “Pakistan: Beyond The Crisis State” offers a brief of our country from
the eyes of experts and discusses its overall
issues in a concise manner. The book
identifies and highlights the plethora of
issues which has continued to plague our
country since our start as a nation. With
comprehensive details, it discusses all the
facets of our state with historical and critical
analysis. One of the most appealing
characteristic of this book is its positive
approach towards the issues being
highlighted by also giving tangible solutions
to them. Indeed, this book is a treasure-
chest full of knowledge and a reminder of
things which should be pondered upon. We
must identify the problems and issues which are holding us back as a nation. If a
book offers this service to us, we should avail this opportunity. Knowing our issues
today will prepare us better to tackle them tomorrow.
 Ghazi & Janvaaz
Author: Abu Shuja Abu Waqar
Theme: A Heroic Tale of a Pakistani Spy
When it comes to thriller stories unique in their nature, we find only a few examples
in Urdu literature. The heroic tale of “Ghazi” and its sequel “Janbaaz” are one of
those few examples. These undiscovered pearls are one of the most thrilling and
alluring stories yet to be heard and yet to be known. The books are based on the
life of a spy who describes his dangerous ventures and missions in the world of
unseen for his nation and his religion. The story is set in the aftermath of 1971 with
“Ghazi” describing the start and
the end of author’s career as a
spy in India. “Jaanbaz” describes
the tale of his heroic
commitment and devotion with
which he, even after being
ousted from service, continues
his missions in Arabia and Iran.
Apart from the accuracy and
existence of such ventures as
written by this unknown writer,
these books not only are the
most captivating but also offer a
whole lot of accurate information about how spies work, the nature of sabotage
missions, the social loop-holes in different societies around the world and the
unknown world of smugglers and trespassers. A reader will not only be fascinated
by the well-thought plans to tackle the most dreadful of conditions as described in
the story, but will also realize the importance of critical thinking at critical moments
and junctures. By venturing into this book, you are unconsciously going to learn
different reconnoitering and observation techniques from which you may benefit.
Discover these unknown tales and be assured; you will discover a story which you
are going to remember.