Mufti Menk delivers a concentrated argument about social media's effect on self-image from an Islamic perspective. He opens by naming the core problem: the pressure to look perfect on social media has made people feel embarrassed of who they actually are. He counters this by stating that Islam teaches a practice of self-love — looking in the mirror and affirming 'Alhamdulillah, I am good-looking' — acknowledging that this surprises people who expect a scholar to say something more austere. He grounds this teaching in a Quranic verse that asks 'O man, what has deceived you and driven you away from your Lord who is the most honoring?' and explains that Allah specifically fashioned each person's face, eyes, nose, ears, and lips, making rejection of one's appearance a rejection of God's creation. He extends this to a social argument: adults who normalize imperfections give permission to the next generation to feel normal when they are normal, rather than inadequate by comparison to filtered images. He frames the alternative — a life where one is too embarrassed to answer the door without makeup — as enslavement, directly opposing the narrative that heavy cosmetic use represents personal freedom.
