# Islamic advertising ethics: the principles scholars name, as a checklist

What the Quran, hadith and Islamic marketing research say about honest advertising, where scholars differ, and a checklist to run on every ad.

Published 2026-11-08 by Adrizq. Source: https://adrizq.app/guides/islamic-advertising-principles

**Short answer:** Islamic advertising ethics rest on a few well-attested texts on trade: tell the truth, disclose defects, give full measure, avoid oaths when selling and avoid unclear terms. Academic writers build on these, for example with six principles: tawhid, honesty, justice, trust, education and consistency. Scholars differ on details such as imagery, so ask one you trust.

Islamic advertising ethics start from a small set of texts about trade. The Quran condemns those who short-change buyers and calls for trade by mutual consent. Hadith in Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim reject deception, hidden defects, oaths used to push a sale and deals built on unclear terms. Islamic marketing researchers have turned these texts into lists of principles you can test an ad against.

This guide is a summary of those sources, with links so you can read them yourself. It is not a fatwa. Scholars and madhhabs differ on some details, and practice varies between countries. For your own business, ask a scholar you trust.

## Where do Islamic advertising principles come from?

They come from two places: the primary texts on honest trade, and a body of academic work since the late 1990s that applies those texts to marketing. The texts are short and general. The academic work is where you find advertising-specific lists.

| Source | What it is | Why it matters for ads |
|---|---|---|
| Quran and hadith on trade | Verses and narrations on measure, honesty and disclosure | The foundation the academic works build on |
| Rice (1999), *Journal of Business Ethics* ([DOI](https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1005711414306)) | An early overview of how Islamic ethical principles apply to business conduct | An early academic treatment of the topic |
| Saeed, Ahmed and Mukhtar (2001), *Journal of Business Ethics* ([DOI](https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1010718817155)) | "International Marketing Ethics from an Islamic Perspective: A Value-Maximization Approach" | A foundational paper on Islamic marketing ethics |
| Arham (2010), *Journal of Islamic Marketing* ([DOI](https://doi.org/10.1108/17590831011055888)) | Reads modern marketing theory from an Islamic perspective | Argues religious teaching can be applied to marketing practice |
| Sandıkcı (2011), *Journal of Islamic Marketing* ([DOI](https://doi.org/10.1108/17590831111164778)) | A review of research on Islamic marketing | Useful map of the field |
| Alserhan, *The Principles of Islamic Marketing*, 2nd edition ([Routledge](https://www.routledge.com/The-Principles-of-Islamic-Marketing/Alserhan/p/book/9781032838595)) | Textbook | Adds chapters on Maqasid al-Shariah and Islamic branding |
| Shafiq, Haque and Abdullah (2016), IMAC8 conference paper ([IIUM repository](https://irep.iium.edu.my/55436/)) | "A collection of Islamic advertising principles" gathered from religious and academic scholars | Proposes Islamic advertising as a response to criticism of unethical ads |
| Fadhillah (2022), *Jurnal Peurawi* ([journal](https://jurnal.ar-raniry.ac.id/index.php/peurawi/article/view/12011)) | Literature study drawing on the Quran, hadith and scholarly opinion | Names six advertising principles (below) |

These are academic works. They show how researchers read the sources, and they do not carry the authority of a fatwa.

## What do the core texts say about honesty in selling?

They say a seller must be truthful, must not hide defects, must give full value and should not swear oaths to make a sale. Here are the key texts, with a practical reading for ad copy. The practical reading is ours, offered as a prompt for your own thinking.

| Text | What it says | A practical reading for ads |
|---|---|---|
| [Quran 83:1-3](https://quran.com/83/1-3) | Condemns those who take full measure for themselves but give less to others | The product delivered should match what the ad shows and promises |
| [Quran 4:29](https://quran.com/4/29) | "do not consume one another's wealth unjustly but only [in lawful] business by mutual consent" (Sahih International) | Consent means little if the buyer was misled |
| [Sahih Muslim 102](https://sunnah.com/muslim:102) | The Prophet found wet grain hidden under dry and said: "He who deceives is not of me." | Do not hide the weak points of an offer below the fold |
| [Sahih al-Bukhari 2079](https://sunnah.com/bukhari:2079) | If buyer and seller speak the truth and make things clear, their deal is blessed; if they lie and conceal, the blessing is lost | Disclose delivery times, sizes, ingredients and conditions plainly |
| [Sahih Muslim 1607](https://sunnah.com/muslim:1607) | "Beware of swearing; it produces a ready sale for a commodity, but blots out the blessing." | Drop "wallahi" and oath-style claims from sales copy |
| [Sahih Muslim 1513](https://sunnah.com/muslim:1513) | The Prophet forbade "the type which involves some uncertainty" (*gharar*) | State the full price and terms, with no hidden conditions |

Translations differ. Read each reference on the linked page, and ask a scholar how it applies to a specific case.

## Which principles does the academic literature name?

Different writers group the principles differently. Fadhillah (2022) names six: monotheism (*tawhid*), honesty, justice, trust, education and *istiqomah* (consistency) ([Jurnal Peurawi](https://jurnal.ar-raniry.ac.id/index.php/peurawi/article/view/12011)). The paper argues that much contemporary advertising is materialistic and overrides the ethics of Islamic communication.

Below, each of the six is turned into a question you can ask of an ad. The questions are our working interpretation, not the paper's wording.

| Principle | A question to ask of your ad |
|---|---|
| Tawhid | Does the ad use faith respectfully, without treating sacred words as a sales device? |
| Honesty | Can you prove every factual claim, and is nothing material hidden? |
| Justice | Is the offer fair to the buyer, with the price and terms clear? |
| Trust | Would a buyer who reads the small print still feel well treated? |
| Education | Does the ad tell people something true and useful about the product? |
| Istiqomah | Is the ad consistent with what your shop, packaging and staff actually deliver? |

## Where do scholars and countries differ?

They agree on honesty and disclosure. They differ on several practical questions that matter for ads, and the answer for your business can depend on your madhhab, your scholar and your country.

**Images of people and animals.** IslamQA describes the question of photographs as "a matter concerning which there is a considerable and well known difference of opinion among the scholars" ([IslamQA 170967](https://islamqa.info/en/170967)). Egypt's Dar al-Ifta takes the view that a camera photographer is "not included in admonishment at all" ([Dar al-Ifta fatwa 5993](https://dar-alifta.org/en/fatwa/details/5993/what-is-the-ruling-on-tv-photos-and-camera-pictures)). Product-only imagery is one way to sidestep the question.

**Quran verses in promotion.** Fatwa bodies in Malaysia and Jordan have said religious texts should not be used to promote products. Our guide on [using Quran verses or hadith in ads](/guides/quran-verses-in-advertising) sets out what each said.

**How you pay the platform.** Jordan's official fatwa department has ruled on the billing terms of sponsored Facebook ads. See [is paid advertising halal](/guides/is-paid-advertising-halal) for the detail and the other views.

**What counts as modest.** Dress norms differ between Malaysia, the Gulf, Turkey and Muslim communities in Europe and North America. A single standard will not fit every audience, so check with the community you are selling to.

## How do these principles line up with advertising law?

Closely, on honesty. In the UK, the CAP Code says ads "must not materially mislead or be likely to do so" (rule 3.1), requires documentary evidence for objective claims (3.7), bans false limited-time claims (3.30) and bans fake consumer reviews (3.44) ([ASA, CAP Code section 3](https://www.asa.org.uk/type/non_broadcast/code_section/03.html)). In the US, the FTC's rule on reviews and testimonials bans fake reviews, including AI-generated ones ([FTC](https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2024/08/federal-trade-commission-announces-final-rule-banning-fake-reviews-testimonials)).

| Ethical concern | Related source | UK rule |
|---|---|---|
| Misleading claims | Sahih Muslim 102 | CAP 3.1, 3.7 |
| False urgency | Sahih al-Bukhari 2079 | CAP 3.30 |
| Invented testimony | Sahih Muslim 102 | CAP 3.44, 3.47 |
| Religious offence | Jordan's Iftaa Department on protecting sacred names | CAP 4.1 |

The ASA's guidance says religious imagery or language "may be considered acceptable, provided it is not mocking or disrespectful", and that ads which "seem to exploit religious imagery for purely commercial purposes can be problematic" ([ASA](https://www.asa.org.uk/advice-online/offence-religion.html)). The law and the ethics point the same way here.

## What does this look like in a real ad?

Here is an example for a made-up attar brand, Noor Oud.

**Before (example):** "Wallahi the purest oud in the UK. Only 3 bottles left. 10,000 happy sisters can't be wrong."

**After (example):** "Cambodian oud, blended in small batches in Bradford. Alcohol-free. 12 ml roll-on, £34, delivered in 2 to 3 working days."

The first version uses an oath, an unprovable "purest", a stock claim nobody counted and a customer figure with no source. The second gives facts a buyer can check. It also tells people what they are paying and when it arrives, which is the disclosure the hadith on sales describe.

## A checklist to run on every ad

1. Every factual claim ("certified", "No.1", "handmade") is true and you hold evidence for it.
2. The product in the image is the product people receive.
3. Price, size, delivery time and conditions are stated or one click away.
4. No oaths ("wallahi", "I swear") are used to sell.
5. Any deadline or stock limit is real.
6. Every review or testimonial is from a real customer who gave permission.
7. No Quran verse or hadith is used to promote an unrelated product.
8. Imagery fits the standard you and your audience have chosen.
9. Health, spiritual or religious-benefit claims are removed unless you can support them and a scholar has advised you.
10. Payment terms with the ad platform have been checked with your scholar if you have concerns.

Adrizq runs automated checks for several of these, such as oaths, unsupported claims and invented urgency, and you choose the principles it applies. You can read how that works on [how the standard works](/how-the-standard-works). It is a review tool, not a fatwa, and the final judgement stays with you and your scholar.

For definitions of terms like *tadlis*, *najsh* and *gharar*, see the [halal marketing glossary](/guides/halal-marketing-glossary).

## Frequently asked questions

### What are the main principles of Islamic advertising?

The sources stress honesty, full disclosure of defects, fair dealing and clear terms, drawn from the Quran and from hadith on trade in Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim. One 2022 academic paper groups them as tawhid, honesty, justice, trust, education and consistency. These are summaries of scholarship, so ask a scholar you trust how they apply to your business.

### Is there an official Islamic advertising code?

We found no single code that all Muslims follow. There are individual fatwas from official bodies, such as Malaysia's Federal Territories Mufti on Quran verses in promotion, and academic lists of principles. Secular law in each country, such as the UK CAP Code, also applies. Practice varies by madhhab and country, so check locally.

### Can a Muslim business use photos of people in ads?

Scholars differ. IslamQA describes a considerable and well-known difference of opinion on photographs, and Egypt's Dar al-Ifta has said the camera photographer is not included in the warnings about image-making. Product-only imagery is one way to sidestep the question. Ask a scholar you trust which view to follow for your own ads.

### Is it wrong to swear an oath in a sales message?

Sahih Muslim 1607 records the warning that swearing produces a ready sale but blots out the blessing, and Sahih al-Bukhari 2087 has a similar narration. Keeping phrases like wallahi out of sales copy is therefore the cautious course. How strictly this applies to a given phrase is a question for a scholar you trust.

### Do Islamic advertising principles conflict with advertising law?

On honesty they mostly agree. The UK CAP Code bans misleading claims, false limited-time offers and fake reviews, and the US FTC bans fake reviews and testimonials. Islamic texts on trade make the same demands on the seller. Following both means telling the truth, proving claims and keeping terms clear.