The Friday sermon for May 8, 2026 (corresponding to 20 Thu al-Qi'dah 1447 AH) - Sayed Hashim Behbehani Mosque - Sheikh Ali Hassan Ghuloum - Kuwait

 

The 1st sermon:

Scriptural Foundations:
In the Holy Qur’an, God Almighty commands: "O Children of Adam, dress well whenever you are at worship. Eat and drink, but do not be wasteful, for He does not love the wasteful. Say [Prophet], ‘Who has forbidden the adornment of God which He has brought forth for His servants, and the good things of His provision?’ Say [Prophet], ‘They are for the believers in the life of this world, and exclusively for them on the Day of Resurrection.’ Thus do We explain the signs in detail for people of knowledge. Say, ‘My Lord has only forbidden disgraceful deeds—both open and secret—sin, unrightful oppression, associating others with God for which He has sent down no authority, and saying about God that which you do not know.’" (Al-A'raf: 31-33). Furthermore, the Scripture guides: "Seek, through that which God has given you, the Home of the Hereafter; and yet, do not forget your share of the world. Do good as God has been good to you, and do not seek corruption in the land. Indeed, God does not love the corrupters." (Al-Qasas: 77).

The Islamic Paradigm of Balance:
These verses encapsulate the Islamic vision of equilibrium: a harmonious middle ground between the worldly life and the hereafter, individual needs and social obligations, and the cultivation of both outward appearance and inner essence—body and soul.

Historical Resilience against Extremism:
During the era of the Prophet (PBUH&F) and thereafter, certain individuals attempted to deviate from this balance by veering toward an extreme self-denial, forsaking material needs entirely in favor of an exclusive spiritual focus. However, the crystalline clarity of the Qur’anic discourse, coupled with the proactive guidance of the Prophet and the faithful scholars of the Ummah, neutralized these tendencies and curtailed their influence.

Integration over Conflict:
Consequently, the conscious Muslim—one who internalizes the multifaceted teachings of Islam—does not suffer from a crisis of identity or a conflict between bodily requirements, spiritual aspirations, and social necessities. The Qur’an explicitly clarifies that monasticism was never a divine requirement: "...and monasticism they innovated; We did not prescribe it for them except [that they did it] seeking the approval of God. But they did not observe it with due observance..." (Al-Hadid: 27).

A Contemporary Imbalance:
Despite this clear framework, this delicate equation has become skewed for many today, including within the Muslim community, leading to various forms of imbalance. It is one of the most prominent manifestations of this shift that we shall address in the second part of our sermon.

 The 2nd sermon:

A World in Focus: By 2025, it is estimated that humanity captured nearly 80 billion selfies. Yet, this phenomenon transcends mere statistics; it reflects a profound shift in self-perception and public presentation. Individuals now broadcast their lives with relentless frequency, effectively transforming the self into a "product" perpetually awaiting market validation and digital applause.

The Anatomy of Obsession: British journalist Will Storr explores this cultural evolution in his seminal work, Selfie: How the West Became Self-Obsessed. While the Arabic translation—aptly titled How Did We Become This Obsessed with Ourselves?—offers a more universal scope, Storr’s analysis remains rooted in the Western cultural psyche. Nevertheless, his insights provide a vital lens through which we can examine the creeping influence of this ethos on our own societies.

From Greece to the Modern Ego: Storr posits that the rigors of Ancient Greece birthed the "opportunistic striver"—an individualistic archetype defined by self-reliance and the relentless pursuit of survival. Aristotle later refined this by suggesting that outward skill and beauty were insufficient; one must also cultivate the "inner essence." Consequently, the "self" emerged as the cornerstone of Western civilized thought.

The Medieval Pivot: This trajectory was dramatically upended during the Christian Middle Ages, where self-denial and the suppression of desire became the ultimate virtues. The philosopher Alija Izetbegović famously noted this distinction in one of his books, contrasting the Islamic emphasis on physical purity and the frequent ritual use of water with a certain medieval asceticism that viewed the avoidance of such comforts as a badge of piety.

The War Within: Storr encapsulates this historical tension with a haunting clarity: "He who seeks perfection must wage a restless war against his own soul."

The Modern Reversal: The eventual rebellion against ecclesiastical authority sparked a radical pivot toward the "self." This era ushered in a relentless pursuit of perfection, centered squarely on the Ego. Today, this has evolved into what Storr identifies as "Social Perfectionism." No longer is success measured by self-satisfaction; it is now validated solely by the approval of others. When individuals fall short of the perceived expectations of their digital audience, the result is a total psychological collapse.

Identity as a Metric: In this digital age, the selfie and social media serve as both the symptoms and the instruments of this transformation. Storr argues that identity has been reduced to a game with measurable rules: likes, followers, and comments. Your intrinsic value is distilled into a numerical figure that speaks for you in your absence. One is now expected to be simultaneously extroverted, fit, beautiful, individualistic, optimistic, and industrious, possessing the shrewdness of an entrepreneur. Human existence has effectively become a continuous marketing project.

The Toll of Self-Adoration: Storr illustrates this with a poignant real-world example: a young woman possessing a terabyte of selfies who spends her nights meticulously editing images before posting them to Instagram. Trapped in a modern cycle of "self-worship," the constant inner monologue is reduced to one question: "How do I look?" The price for this obsession is steep: a pathological fixation on appearance, a decline in cognitive performance, and a surge in eating disorders and depression.

A Call for Digital Detachment: The author concludes with a vital prescription for those suffering from this digital malaise: set the phone aside, withdraw from the digital noise, and cultivate relationships with those who accept you as you are. He urges a return to "meaningful projects" where one possesses a genuine, albeit limited, agency. We must accept our inherent limitations and imperfections—an unchangeable reality of the human condition.

The Deeper Crisis: Ultimately, Will Storr’s analysis reveals that the selfie phenomenon and the obsessive drive for social validation are more than mere behavioral glitches. They are reflections of a profound existential crisis concerning human purpose, direction, and responsibility. This issue spans philosophical, cultural, and moral dimensions, demanding an immediate and deep-seated intervention for those caught in its grip.