Educational content only. We analyze marketing commissions
using the principles of
Ju'alah (Reward for Service) and Najsh await (Deceptive
Hype).
This is not financial, legal, or religious advice. Please consult a qualified
scholar or professional for your specific situation. We do not issue fatwas.
"Click the link in my bio!" From influencers to mommy bloggers, everyone is earning a cut. But is this passive income stream pure?
Scholarly consensus overview
Referral commission (Affiliate Marketing) is generally Permissible.
It falls under Ju'alah (Commission) or Simsarah (Brokerage). You are being paid for the service of bringing a customer. However, strict conditions apply regarding the Product (must be Halal) and the Promotion (must be honest).
The Commission Model (Ju'alah)
Getting paid per sale is a valid contract. However, your income is tied to the validity of the transaction you facilitated. If you facilitate the sale of a Haram item (e.g., credit card, alcohol, gambling site), your commission is Haram.
Tool 1: Source Analyzer
Check the purity of your referral.
Hidden Ads & Transparency
In modern marketing, "Native Advertising" tries to blend ads with content. If you pretend to personally love a product just because you are paid to say so, or if you hide the fact that it's an ad, you are engaging in Ghash (Deception).
Tool 2: Disclosure Check
Are you being honest with your audience?
Fake Hype (Najsh)
The Prophet (SAW) forbade Najsh—bidding up the price of an item or praising it falsely to trick another Muslim into buying it. Creating fake urgency ("Only 5 mins left!") or making false income claims to sell a course falls under this prohibition.
Tool 3: Ethical Promotion
Don't be a fake guru.
The Red Line
Where do scholars draw the line?
- 1Pyramid Schemes (Ponzi):
If you are paid primarily for recruiting other "affiliates" rather than selling a real product, this is likely a Pyramid Scheme. These are Haram due to Gharar (Uncertainty) and Akl al-Mal bil-Batil (Eating wealth unjustly).
- 2Blind Dropshipping:
Promoting a product you have never seen or verified creates a risk of lying. If you claim "it's high quality" but it's actually junk, you bear the sin of that lie.
Summary & Practical Guidance
- Verify the Product: Only promote what you trust. Your reputation (and Akhirah) is on the line.
- Disclose Boldly: "This is an affiliate link." It builds trust and keeps your income pure.
Methodology
Analyzing Digital Marketing
We analyzed the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) guidelines alongside Islamic principles of Truthfulness (Siddiq) and Brokerage (Simsarah).
- IslamQA: "Ruling on Network Marketing and Affiliate Schemes".
- Mufti Menk: "Business Ethics and Honesty".