Yaqeen Podcast Are We Becoming Too Self-Centered? | Real Talk ft. Tesneem Alkiek
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Jan 15, 2026 Dr. Tesneem Alkiek, a researcher and speaker specializing in Islamic thought, dives deep into the pitfalls of individualism and the culture of self-promotion. She critiques the societal push for personal happiness, revealing its link to communal disconnection. Alkiek emphasizes the importance of forgiveness, rooted in a God-centered life, as a remedy for bitterness. Drawing from historical influences and examples from the Sira, she illustrates how centering God provides clarity, purpose, and true fulfillment over mere self-interest.
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Self-Centered Slogans Hide Lost Purpose
- Modern slogans like "be you" reflect a societal loss of shared purpose and moral clarity.
- Tesneem Alkiek links this to moral relativism that centers the self instead of God.
God At Center Provides Shared Moral Clarity
- Removing God from the center removes shared rules, leaving individuals to make their own moral systems.
- Tesneem argues this produces misery, not the promised happiness of self-centered living.
History Shaped Today's Individualism
- Historical shifts (Reformation, scientific revolution, Enlightenment) eroded religious authority and elevated individual reason.
- These intellectual waves paved the way for moral relativism and modern individualism.