Assuring our supporters: Cashback and Affiliate marketing practices.

In the lead up to Ramadan, when donor sensitivity and scrutiny are rightly heightened, we want to ensure that our supporters are fully confident in the excellence and thoughtfulness of our fundraising approaches. Muslim Aid works hard to be aligned with Islamic ethics from both operational and governance perspectives.

As part of our digital fundraising strategy, Muslim Aid participates in ethical affiliate marketing through established UK networks. Affiliate marketing is a widely used, performance-based digital marketing model that allows organisations to reach new supporters through trusted online platforms.

In simple terms, affiliate marketing works by partnering with approved publishers, such as content websites, comparison platforms, or loyalty sites who promote Muslim Aid’s appeals to their audiences. If a supporter chooses to donate through one of these tracked links, the publisher receives a pre-agreed commission for successfully referring that donation. This commission is paid from our marketing budget and forms part of our overall fundraising costs.

It is important to clarify that Muslim Aid does not offer cashback to donors. We do not pay supporters for donating. Donations made via cashback sites are received by Muslim Aid in full, we do not refund, rebate, or return any portion of donations. Any cashback or rewards offered on certain third-party platforms are entirely managed and funded by those platforms themselves as part of their own business model, meaning no zakat or sadaqah funds are recycled to donors.

Our approach is based on well-established fiqh principles applied by contemporary scholars and sharia advisory bodies (including those referenced in AAOIFI standards and widely taught across Sunni schools):

1. That zakat and sadaqah are valid provided the full donation reaches the charity without condition.
2. A financial benefit provided by an independent third party does not invalidate charity, so long as it is not funded by the charity and not stipulated by the charity as part of giving.
3. Such third-party incentives are treated as a separate gift (hiba), not as a return of zakat or sadaqah.
4. The donor’s zakat obligation is discharged if intention (niyyah) is present at payment and the eligible recipient receives the full amount.

On this basis, we regard the current cashback structure we are operating as permissible.

Our affiliate marketing model ensures that we only incur marketing costs when a donation is successfully made, making it one of the most cost-effective and accountable forms of digital fundraising. All affiliate partners are carefully reviewed to ensure they align with our values and brand standards.

Through this approach, we are able to expand our reach, attract new supporters, and ultimately increase the funds raised to support vulnerable communities worldwide.

If donors have any concerns, they are able to contact our teams on [email protected].

As per best practice, where there is concern or confusion, we advise zakat donors in particular to donate directly via muslimaid.org.