Muslim Consumer Traits and Preferences

We start by outlining some general information about the traits of Muslim consumers, potential brand preferences, and important social issues to them. It’s important to remember that Muslims are a diverse group with a variety of tastes and worldviews, so these traits and interests might not apply to all Muslim customers. It is best for you to conduct targeted market research to learn more about the preferences of your target audience.

For basic knowledge on Muslim consumers, you can read:

The $3 Trillion Reason Why Mainstream Brands Cannot Ignore The Muslim Consumer Market 

State of the Global Islamic Economy Report 2022 Highlights

14 Experts Share an Insider Look at Opportunities for Muslim Niche Markets in 2022

Catering to Enhanced Muslim Consumer Groups in a Post-Pandemic World

The Complexity of Advertising to Muslim Consumers Simplified 

How to Target Advertisements to Muslims with Impactful Diversity and Inclusion Marketing

How Mainstream Brands Can Identify and Serve Muslim Niche Markets

Permissibility: Many Muslim consumers seek products and services that are permissible for them to use. Although halal – certification ensures that the products are permissible for consumption by Muslims, a 100% vegan product with no animal cruelty or an NGO that helps shelter stray animals falls under permissibility without the need for halal certification.

Quality and Trust: Muslim consumers, like any other group of consumers, appreciate high-quality products and services. They value trustworthiness and reliability and brands that maintain consistent quality standards.

Ethical and Responsible Practices: Muslims may be concerned about the ethical practices of the brands they support. They may prefer companies that demonstrate social responsibility, sustainability, and fair trade practices.

Modesty: In Islam, modesty is highly valued. Muslim consumers may prefer brands that provide modest clothing options, especially for women, as well as products that correspond to their modest preferences.

Inclusivity and Diversity: Muslim consumers value brands that embrace diversity and inclusivity, recognizing their diverse customer base. They may be drawn to brands that feature diverse models, provide products for a variety of skin tones, or promote cultural diversity.

Appeals to Faith: Muslim customers may value brands that recognize and respect their faith. This includes brands that produce content or run campaigns that promote Islamic values, such as family values, compassion, or social justice.

Social Issues: Muslims are concerned with a wide range of social issues. Human rights, social justice, poverty alleviation, education, and environmental sustainability are some of the social issues that may be important to Muslim consumers. Read about the Islamic perspective on business and social justice.

To better understand your specific target audience and cater to their preferences, it is essential to conduct targeted market research. Individuals within the Muslim community have their own distinctive interests and priorities. It is wise to start learning the basics of marketing to Muslims by downloading the only complete guide for this purpose:

What follows now is a rundown of the different types of ethical brands and the reasons specific to them as to why they should be advertising to Muslims.

Why Environmentally-Friendly Brands Must Advertise to Muslims

The Prophet of Islam (peace be upon him) said:

There is none amongst the Muslims who plants a tree or sows seeds, and then a bird, or a person or an animal eats from it, but is regarded as a charitable gift for him. 

Source: Bukhari, Book 39, Number 513

Islam places a strong emphasis on environmental stewardship and responsibility. Muslims are urged to think carefully about their consumption habits, reduce waste, and safeguard the environment. Sustainable and eco-friendly practices are important to Muslim consumers, and brands that uphold these values can appeal to them. The article “Why Your Halal Business Should Care About Digital Advertising Carbon Footprint”, goes into detail about this stewardship.

As an eco-friendly and sustainable brand you probably also promote ethical practices, such as fair trade, animal welfare, and sustainable sourcing. These ethical considerations are important to Muslim consumers who value responsible and conscientious business practices. If you can convey these aspects in your marketing messaging, Muslim audiences will pay attention.

The Muslim world population is 2 billion strong, and like the rest of the population, they are becoming more aware of the importance of environmental conservation and sustainability. Muslim consumers are becoming more aware of the environmental impact of their purchasing decisions and are actively seeking products and services that align with Islamic values. Your environmentally-friendly brand can reach a growing consumer base by catering to this market segment.

The Muslim population has a relatively young demographic, and young Muslims are often at the forefront of advocating for environmental sustainability. Many Muslim millennials and Gen Z individuals are actively involved in sustainability initiatives, promoting eco-consciousness, and demanding responsible products and services. By serving this consumer segment, your eco-friendly brand can gain support from influential voices within the Muslim community.

As mentioned earlier, Muslims represent a significant consumer market globally. With 2 billion Muslims worldwide, catering to their needs and preferences can lead to increased brand loyalty and market share for your business. Your brand can capture the attention and loyalty of Muslim consumers who are actively seeking sustainable alternatives by providing environmentally friendly options.

Ultimately, providing environmentally-friendly products and services to Muslim consumers not only aligns with their values and aspirations but also presents an opportunity for your brand to tap into a growing market segment and establish itself as a leader in ethical and sustainable practices.

Why Animal Cruelty-Free Brands Should Engage With Muslims

There is no animal that crawls on the earth, no bird that flies with its two wings but are communities like you. We have neglected nothing in the Book (of decree). Then to their Lord will they all be mustered.

Source: Quran Surah Al-An’am verse 38

Muslims acknowledge the interconnected nature of all living beings and the environment. Muslims may see buying animal cruelty-free products as a way to promote ecological harmony and balance. They help to create a more sustainable and balanced world by supporting brands that prioritize animal welfare.

Islam promotes animal compassion and kindness. Muslim consumers are concerned about animal welfare and will appreciate and support brands that prioritize animal welfare. Your brand can resonate with the values of mercy and compassion inherent in Islamic teachings by promoting animal cruelty-free products.

Many Muslims strive to emulate the character and teachings of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), who was known for his compassion towards animals. His actions, such as feeding and caring for animals, serve as a model for Muslims who aim to follow his example. Choosing animal cruelty-free products can be seen as a way to embody these teachings and reflect the compassionate character of the Prophet (peace be upon him).

Muslims are encouraged by Islam to take care of their physical and mental health. Many Muslims understand the health benefits of plant-based and cruelty-free products, which are frequently associated with a healthier lifestyle. Choosing cruelty-free products for animals can be part of a more holistic approach to personal health and well-being.

Muslims believe that their actions should be carried out with the right intentions and in accordance with their faith. Choosing cruelty-free products for animals can be viewed as an act of worship, fulfilling the responsibility of caring for Allah’s creation and seeking His pleasure.

Mainstream Charities Appeal to Muslims for Several Reasons

Let’s look at some outstanding stats regarding Muslim spending on charities before we tell you why, as a mainstream charity, you would do quite well engaging the Muslim community.

According to a study conducted by the Ayaan Institute, a London-based think tank, charities supporting Muslim causes in the UK raised £708 million in 2020. By adding this amount to the donations made by Muslims to charitable causes in the UK, it is predicted that by 2051, Muslims in the UK will be making at least £1 billion in charitable contributions annually, with an increase to £4 billion expected.

According to a report by the Muslim Philanthropy Initiative at the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, the average Muslim in the United States gave $2,070 in zakat, one of Islam’s five pillars. According to the report, the largest recipients of charity were international nonprofits, which received 25.3% of all zakat funds.

We found that Muslim Americans gave more to charity, donating an average of $3,200, in 2020, versus $1,905 for other respondents. They also differed from non-Muslims in many ways. For example, nearly 8.5% of their contributions supported civil rights causes, compared with 5.3% of the general public.

Source: US Muslims gave more to charity than other Americans in 2020

Now let’s look at why Muslims are so willing to part with their money for the sake of charity, so you know how to serve donation campaigns to them efficiently.

Typically, mainstream charities work to address humanitarian issues such as poverty, hunger, healthcare, education, and disaster relief. These are values and causes that align with the Islamic principles of compassion, social justice, and helping those in need. Muslims are likely to identify with charities that prioritize these issues.

Zakat, one of Islam’s five pillars, is the term used to describe the obligatory charity that Muslims must provide for those in need. Muslims frequently use mainstream charities as platforms to fulfill their religious obligations by transparently and effectively donating, or in the case of an organization, collecting zakat. Muslims who want to fulfill their religious obligations may decide to donate to well-known charities.

Mainstream charities take a global approach to addressing issues that affect communities all over the world. Reaching out to Muslim consumers allows your charity to reach a sizable (2 billion) portion of the population and use their combined contributions to make a positive impact on the world.

Trust and Credibility: Established mainstream charities often have a track record of effective implementation, transparency, and accountability. Muslim consumers, like any other demographic, are more likely to support and engage with charities that have a proven history of impact and adhere to ethical practices. Mainstream charities that demonstrate trustworthiness and credibility can gain the support and trust of Muslim consumers. For more insights on how Muslims choose mainstream brands, read the free survey report:

Mainstream charities tend to have effective processes for accepting donations, whether online, through mobile apps, or through other accessible platforms. This ease of giving and making a difference makes it easier for Muslim consumers to contribute to causes they care about.

Mainstream charities often collaborate with faith-based organizations, community leaders, and institutions within Muslim communities. These partnerships can help your mainstream charities reach and engage with Muslim consumers more effectively, leveraging local knowledge and networks to address specific needs and build trust.

View the case study below to learn how the UNHCR campaign targeting Muslims did so well in partnership with Muslim Ad Network.

By reaching out to Muslim consumers, your charity can broaden its support base, increase its impact, and collaborate with Muslim communities to address pressing social, humanitarian, and developmental issues. It enables your charity to benefit from the generosity and commitment to social justice embodied in Islamic teachings.

If you are an ethical brand or organization and want to run a campaign that appeals to the Muslim community in an effective manner, please do not hesitate to contact MAN or better yet, click the “Start Targeting Muslim Consumers Today” button below and tell us more about your campaign plans.

The post Why Ethical Brands Should Advertise to Muslims More appeared first on Muslim Ad Network.

Muslim Ad Network’s very existence came about because Tabish Hasan – CEO at MAN – owned a couple of popular Muslim websites, and wanted to monetize traffic through advertisements. He was not satisfied with the existing options such as Google AdSense as they did not take Islamic advertising principles into consideration.

For instance, the existing advertising solutions were ineffective when it came to properly filtering questionable ads from being shown to his Muslim audience. 

At the top of his mind were the three most frequently asked questions about the biggest ad platform: Google AdSense! Today we answer those questions once and for all!

1- What is the general consensus on using Google AdSense in Islam?

As always when it comes to matters of Islamic Jurisprudence, MAN must make the disclaimer that we are not experts. 

Please make sure you perform due diligence before taking any action!

The basic principle is that it is not permissible to sign up for advertising programs unless one can be 100% certain that the ads served are free of any impermissible content. You do not want to be in a position where you are actually promoting ‘haram’ products.

Help you one another in Al‑Birr and At‑Taqwa (virtue, righteousness, and piety); but do not help one another in sin and transgression. And fear Allah. Verily, Allah is severe in punishment

Source: Quran 5:2

And the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:

Whoever calls others to guidance will have a reward like the rewards of those who follow him, without that detracting from their reward in any way. And whoever calls others to misguidance will have a burden of sin like the burden of those who follow him, without that detracting from their burden in any way.

Source: Saheeh Muslim (4832)

For Google Adsense to be permissible, you have to block the ads that go against Islamic rulings. We talk about blocking impermissible ads in the next chapter.

If you are unable to do that with 100% accuracy, and these ads appear on your site against your wishes then you have to leave this service. You do not want to be a partner in spreading and propagating haram (that which is impermissible).  

If you know of an alternative platform that is 100% clear of ‘haram’ advertising while you are unsure of Google AdSense, it would be wise for you to use the alternative platform.

And Allah knows best.

MAN alternative: Muslim Ad Network was created on the very premise that Muslim publishers should never have to worry about the issue of the inaccuracy of blocking ‘haram’ ads on their sites, blogs, and apps.

Before we move further, make sure you download The Ultimate Guide to Understanding and Marketing to the Muslim Consumer. Your brand’s guide on breaking into one of the fastest-growing untapped consumer markets in the world.

2- How do you filter your ads on Google Ad Sense to make sure they are Halal? 

Google AdSense helps you filter out ads they define as sensitive that you may deem inappropriate for your blog, app, or website. It has defined the following 17 categories that you can filter out:

1. Birth control
2. Astrology & esoteric
3. Cosmetic procedures & body modification
4. Consumer Loans
5. Dating
6. Downloadable Utilities
7. Get rich quick
8. Politics
9. Religion
10. Sensationalism
11. Sexual and reproductive health
12. Significant skin exposure
13. Social Casino Games
14. Video games (casual & online)
15. Weight loss
16. Gambling & Betting (18+)
17. Alcohol

Clearly, there are many categories of ads that Muslims define as inappropriate missing from the list such as:

• tobacco,
• pork and other non-halal food,
• interest-based loans, 
• and more.

With interest, for instance, you would have to completely block off entire categories – like finance for example – which would take away your ability to feature Shariah-compliant financial products.

On top of that, even if you block a sensitive category like #12 Significant skin exposure, you will still be hosting ads with significant skin exposure by Islamic standards. Google AdSense defines ads with significant skin exposure as follows:

“Ad images where any part of the adult human body from the sternum (breast bone)  to the mid-thigh is not clothed, or the body is clothed in underwear, lingerie, or other see-through clothes or non-clothing items such as a towel or bed sheet.”

So as you can see, it comes nowhere close to the halal dress code for neither men nor women.

MAN alternative: Muslim Ad Network works with Muslim brands and mainstream brands that adhere to Islamic advertising principles. You are guaranteed halal-safe ads without having to break a sweat.

3- Does Google AdSense allow ads to run on a site with Islamic content?

The short answer is yes: if your content is about the Islamic lifestyle or Muslim products, for example, it should not be a problem. As a category, religion can be filtered out by you as a publisher if the advertiser runs ads that advocate for or against certain religious views or incites hate for example. At the same time, your website will be banned if your content incites hate against other religions or religious sects for example.

Hate incitement through your website can mean:

• purposely provoking hatred of a particular group,
• distributing hateful material through your content,
• making inflammatory public speeches,
• creating your website to incite fear and misinformation, and
• spreading racial discontent.

If your content does not feature anything of that nature Google Ad Sense has no reason to stop you from running ads on your website with Islamic/Muslim content.

Google states the following on its publisher policy page:

“…incites hatred against, promotes discrimination of, or disparages an individual or group on the basis of their race or ethnic origin, religion, disability, age, nationality, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, or other characteristic that is associated with systemic discrimination or marginalization. Examples: Promoting hate groups or hate group paraphernalia, encouraging others to believe that a person or group is inhuman, inferior, or worthy of being hated.”

If you haven’t visited the Google Publisher Policy Page yet, it’s best to do so as soon as you finish reading this article.

MAN alternative: Work with MAN professionals and monetize your website, blog, or app under Islamic principles and MAN values that are designed for success in the here and the hereafter.

Conclusion

Even “brand-safe” ads can be clearly inappropriate for Muslim website owners and so they can’t feel comfortable earning money by showing “non-halal” ads on platforms like Google AdSense.

It has now been over 10 years since Muslim Ad Network opened its doors to Islamic publishers and advertisers. Hundreds of organizations have used MAN to reach over 250 million Muslims in 190 countries serving over 1 billion ads.

However, the internet keeps expanding and new publishers are popping up every day. So we decided to answer the three most common questions that are still being asked by Muslim publishers today.

Let’s take it one step further and check out the MAN publisher FAQ page to learn more about how you can monetize your content at Muslim Ad Network.

The post Answering 3 Questions Most Muslim Publishers Ask About Google AdSense appeared first on Muslim Ad Network.

After waking up to the scary reality of having their personal data sold to military contractors by Muslim Pro, Muslims find themselves yet again in the same predicament. This time via a similar prayer app: Salaat First.

Salaat First has been downloaded over ten million times. This popular app that reminds Muslims when to pray, has been recording and selling Muslim granular location information to Predicio, which is linked to a U.S. contractor that works with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

Motherboard, the same media outlet that broke the Muslim Pro story explains that it “obtained a large dataset of those raw, precise movements of users of the app from a source. The source who provided the dataset was concerned that such sensitive information, which could potentially track Muslims going about their day including visiting places of worship, could be abused by those who buy and make use of the data”.

The Role of Trust in Islam 

Indeed, Allah commands you to render trusts to whom they are due …

Source: Quran 4:58

The word used in the Quran for trust: “Amana”, means trust, honesty, responsibility, and integrity in all the duties which Allah has placed upon humans. This includes the running of a business, and in today’s world, the handling of customer or client data. 

According to many Qur’anic commentaries, honesty is an obligation upon every person in all the circumstances. Everyone is required to act honestly in any matter in which they are involved. This includes rulers, judges, scholars, and every person who is in the position of trust to carry out their duty, whether the trust is connected to world affairs or the hereafter.

Source: Al-Tabari, vol.4, p149.

Importance of Privacy and Data Transparency

Over the years, reliable data has become the foundation of digital marketing and online advertising. After the introduction of  GDPR, COPPA, and California’s CCPA, the average Muslim consumer is now more aware of how their privacy can be exploited and are more cautious today. 

The MuslimPro and Salaat First scandals only add fuel to the fire.

Muslim Ad Network urges advertisers to respect the Muslim users they are targeting and their rights not to have their data sold or used in nefarious ways. Breaking trust is unnecessary for providing personalized and relevant ads.

At Muslim Ad Network, we do our utmost best to adhere to the Islamic Advertising Principles at all times.

If you are looking for an experienced partner to reach Muslim customers online honestly and efficiently, feel free to contact us. We have over a decade worth of experience in matching brands and organizations to Muslims online.

The post Another Muslim Prayer App Tracking Users – What’s Next for Muslim Consumers? appeared first on Muslim Ad Network.

Muslim Pro User Data Scandal – A Betrayal

On the 23rd of November, 2020, The Los Angeles Times reported “Muslims reel over a prayer app that sold user data: ‘A betrayal from within our own community’

By now, if you are a user of the Muslim Pro app, you already know of the scandal. If not, here is a refresher:

Muslim Pro is the most popular Muslim app in the world. It has features that make it easier for Muslims to practice the many daily rituals prescribed in Islam.

The app’s qibla compass shows mobile devices the direction towards the Kaaba in Makkah, Saudi Arabia, for the daily prayers. Another feature is the in-app Quran which usefully lets Muslims pick up reading exactly where they left off. The app also has a counter that tallies the days of fasting during Ramadan. Muslim Pro even makes listings available to guide users to halal food in their area.

You can easily see why this app has been so popular among Muslims.

Now it turns out that the app’s maker, BitsMedia allegedly sold user location data to a broker called X Mode. They in turn sold that information to contractors. X Mode’s client list has included U.S. military contractors, the tech publication Motherboard (Vice)  first reported last week.

Source: Los Angeles Times

According to Motherboard who broke the news first on November 16th,

The U.S. military is buying the granular movement data of people around the world, harvested from innocuous-seeming apps, Motherboard has learned. The most popular app among a group Motherboard analyzed connected to this sort of data sale is a Muslim prayer and Quran app that has more than 98 million downloads worldwide.

Muslims all over the world are denouncing Muslim Pro and some have put forward lawsuits against the tech company behind the app. However, the damage has already been done.

Muslim Pro Denies it Sold Muslim User Data

The day after the Motherboard report, on the 17th of November, 2020, The Straits Times – an English flagship daily of Singapore Press Holdings – reported that the Singapore-based developer of Muslim Pro, Bitsmedia, denied allegations that it is selling Muslim user data to the United States military.

Bitsmedia explained that it will be terminating its work-relationship with its data partners. Miss Zahariah Jupary, Head of Community  for Muslim Pro explained:

As one of the most trusted Muslim apps over the last 10 years, we adhere to the most stringent privacy standards and data protection regulations, and never share any personally identifiable information.

According to Motherboard, the US military bought Muslim Pro’s user data through a third-party broker: X-mode. The data is reported to include:

• location information
• user Wi-Fi network name
• timestamp
• information about the phone the app was installed on

Miss Zahariah defended Muslim Pro’s position by explaining that they had started working with X-Mode only four weeks prior to the Motherboard report. However, the question is, why would you work with a data broker in the first place?

The Ultimate Lesson Every Organization Needs to Grasp

I know what you are probably thinking. Even if you are not consciously thinking about it, it’s in the back of your mind. You and many others, including us at MAN are thinking: “ Miss Zahariah, didn’t you read the contract that X-mode presented before you signed it; how could you not know?”

When news broke that Cambridge Analytica illegally collected user data from millions of Facebook users, we all asked that same question. Smart  Data Collective explains:

“It’s crucial for other companies to look at Facebook’s example and realize the reactive approach isn’t preferable. Would the social media platform have focused on privacy if the scandal hadn’t happened? Probably not.”

The same goes for Muslim Pro: them cutting ties with X-Mode is futile, the damage has been done, and as mentioned before, why work with a data broker in the first place?

So what’s the ultimate lesson? User privacy should be a priority from the start. As an organization, you can’t just wing it and hope nothing bad happens, because it will and news will come out that will ruin your reputation irreversibly.
Work with third parties that are transparent and clearly define their privacy and user policies. If you are looking to amplify your brand by targeting Muslims online and not have to worry about your user’s personal data being sold, give us a call or send us an email.

The post The Ultimate Lesson From the Muslim Pro User Data Scandal appeared first on Muslim Ad Network.

One of the most important things in a Muslim’s life is not going about business as usual while being ignorant of his or her Creator’s rules and regulations. This is true for all his or her actions, including the business they run, and that would include how he or she advertises and promotes his or her products or services.

It is easy for Muslim business owners to get lost in unethical practices that are deemed standard in advertising. Since a Muslim’s goal is not just success in this world, we must keep the ultimate success in the hereafter in our consciousness at all times.

As a disclaimer to this article, we would like to say that we are not scholars by any means. However, we believe that as Muslims we are the best Ummah (nation), only if we remind each other of the good and discourage bad practices.

You are the best nation produced [as an example] for mankind. You enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong and believe in Allah.

Quran 3:110

Also, one of our values is Ihsan, excellence. So we practice this and encourage our clients to do the same. Excellency includes ethical practices!

What’s Wrong With Today’s Advertising 

There is nothing inherently wrong with advertising. It benefits Muslim consumers, for example, introduces them to new products or services which they may have never heard of. The problem is with the tactics being used when advertising.

Gallup polls that measure honesty/ethics in professions consistently rate advertising very low.

Advertising the way we see it today has come under criticism from both Muslims and Non-Muslims. 

One of the things that keep coming back is the fact that advertising has embraced deception and manipulation as a common tactic. This is achieved by overpromising or misstating product features, benefits, or performance. Some advertisers go even further and stage rigged contests or conceal harmful attributes of their products.

One stubborn issue that never seems to go away is how advertisements depict women. From objectifying to stereotyping them. Since there is a general consensus that ‘sex sells’, it’s hard to see how this is going to stop any time soon.

Islam teaches that living a modest life and remembering the creator brings about true happiness:

Who have believed and whose hearts have rest in the remembrance of Allah. Verily in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find rest!

Quran 13:28

Advertising today exploits the raw animalistic appetite in humans for status, vanity, lust, pleasure, and convenience. When these animalistic desires become the main goal of a person and are not achieved, it leads to stress and anxiety.

Advertisement copy today is not designed to appeal to a person’s intellect. It is emotions that make people buy and some advertisers take advantage of this. It’s a known fact that big brands have psychologists working for them who help them tape into the consumer’s emotions, desires, fears, and anxieties.

Introducing Islamic Advertising Principles

Advertising today has become a target for criticism due to the fact that some advertisers stretch the truth while others go all out and lie. There are those who target kids with inappropriate content, those who use extreme nudity, and the list goes on.

At Muslim Ad Network we believe that Islamic advertising principles can be considered as a potential solution to unethical advertising practices. In a 2016 paper called A Collection of Islamic Advertising Principles, the authors explored this possibility after researching available literature given by various religious and academic scholars.

They came to the following conclusion:

It can be postulated that if these principles are applied most of the problems in, and related to contemporary advertisements can be curtailed.”

What Islamic Advertising Principles are Based on

The problem with ethics and moral standards is that they are relative in the secular world. They lack anchorage and there is no legislative law nor a watching body that ensures implementation.

On the other hand, in Islam, Tawhid (the fundamental belief that God is one and that there is only one God) is the basis and the anchor that keeps Muslim’s actions in check. 

This one God demands that the actions of a Muslim – including trade and advertising – are free of deception or any other act that is undesirable Islamically. A Muslim’s relationship with this one God should be pure, but equally important is the relation of that Muslim with his or her fellow human beings. Deceiving consumers with false claims, for example, is a breach of the latter.

For Muslims, moral conduct in their daily lives is part of their devotion. Revealed teaching provides moral certainty and a set of standards to which the entire community of believers can adhere.

A Collection of Islamic Advertising Principles

Before we move further, make sure you download The Ultimate Guide to Understanding and Marketing to the Muslim Consumer. Your brand’s guide on breaking into one of the fastest-growing untapped consumer markets in the world.

What the Islamic Advertising Framework Looks Like

Whereas you find great differences across the globe in what is ethical and what isn’t; on what is deceit, extreme nudity, and so on, Islam has a singular source of deriving moral standards and ethics. 

It is a religion with a complete socio-economic blueprint that is derived from the Quran and the Sunnah ( reports on the sayings, actions, and approvals of Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him).

According to the authors of A Collection of Islamic Advertising Principles, scholars have extracted the following ethical framework for advertising and promotion:

• It should not exploit the basic instincts of consumers and should avoid provoking desires that can never be fulfilled.
• It should be based on truth and completely reveal all product attributes.
• The product should not be haram neither should it be harmful.
• It should advocate consumption as a form of worship and promote moderation in the same.

The above rules are derived from the Islamic principles pertaining to halal (permissible) and haram (not permissible).

The Guidelines We Should All Follow When Advertising

The research paper –  A Collection of Islamic Advertising Principles – in conclusion, shares the following guidelines for advertising and promotion:

• Do not propagate wasteful practices or overspending.
• Do not use women or use nudity to gesture sexual appeal in order to lure the audience.
• Do not depict celebrities or attractive models as if they use the product when actually they do not.
• Be honest and do not be deceptive or hide any facts that the customer should know.
• Don’t use any false assertions (also includes pseudo research), unproven accusations, concoctions, and make-up testimonials.
• Don’t use any false promises which are not intended to be delivered.

It may seem hard for some readers to start avoiding some of the things that we mentioned as unethical in this article. That is why a befitting conclusion to this article is the following hadith:

Abu Ad-Dahma’ said: We came to a man from the people of the desert and asked him: Did you hear a Hadith from the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him)? He said: I heard him saying: “You will never leave something for the sake of Allah, but Allah will give you something better in return.”

Narrated by Ahmad

The post What You Must Know About Islamic Advertising Principles appeared first on Muslim Ad Network.

The murder of George Floyd at the hands of four police officers started a conversation in our communities more powerful than the riots seen on television. The major media outlets may want you to see the current global movement spearheaded by Black Lives Matter as a headless rioting campaign. However, that is far from the truth. The conversation about racism needs us all to take a step back and assess whether our actions contribute to racial bias, prejudice, and persecution. As an advertising platform, we did just that. We took a look at advertising and its contribution to racism. We then went a step further and decided to take action against racism.

Racism in Advertising

“Hey, did you see that Chinese detergent ad where a Chinese woman throws her African boyfriend into a washing machine?”

“Yeah, not only does he come out squeaky clean, he turns into a fair-skinned Chinese man!”

There are countless ads that have received a backlash for their racist nature. You have to admit, these ads are entertaining and well-thought-out. One of the latest ads to stir controversy is Volkswagen’s ad which shows a giant white hand shoving a black man who happens to walk near the new Volkswagen Golf that just came out this year.

“German television also suggested that the light-skinned hand could be seen as making a ‘white power’ gesture.”- Reuters announced in its article: Volkswagen Admits Car Ad Racist, Apologizes

This article is not about listing the top 10 most racist ads. But there is a whole array of racist ads you can find online. Some are intentional but one could argue that the worst ones are those that were not intended to be racist. Just imagine any other crime being committed so consistently with half the perpetrators not actually intending to commit that crime. What an awful world that would be.

Why Racist Ads are Dangerous

Racism in ads dehumanizes the objectified race, ethnicity, or nationality that is on the receiving end. In a world where people have stopped thinking for themselves and trust the ‘idiot box’ and other sources of media to do the thinking for them, such ads could be viewed as dangerous.

It is a well-known fact of history that ridiculing a certain group of people is the start of persecution. There is plenty of history out there that embodies this statement. Let’s look at the life of the Prophet of Islam; Muhammad peace be upon him:

Now, I just mentioned the dangers of advertising and media promoting racism. You are probably thinking, 7th century Arabia,  no media and no ads, so where is the connection?

Well, during the time of the Prophet peace be upon him, poetry was absolutely the go-to media source. If you wanted to know about what was happening around you, you’d listen to poets. History, politics, business, gossip, you name it. The ridicule, the fear-mongering, and so on all of that had its place in the poetry.

Racism in Media Fuels Hate Crime

Remember that Chinese detergent ad that I mentioned at the start of this article? There is no way that would fuel a hate crime. It may be distasteful but it is not inciting violence right? Well, not if looked at as a silo. However, as discussed earlier, this is the part where certain groups are ridiculed and basically dehumanized before the violence comes in.

The same media outlets have recently used the COVID-19 pandemic to kick out Africans from their homes in China, police confiscating their passports, and even acts of brutal violence have been committed against Africans in China.

Who can forget the “1 in 5 Brit Muslims’ Sympathy for Jihadist” front-page article that appeared in the Sun newspaper just a few years back? As a Muslim in the UK, you just knew what was coming.

Many Muslim sisters were attacked in public both verbally and physically. However, if you think about it. Such an article could not have been possible without decades of stereotyping Muslims and Asians on TV shows, advertisements both on TV and online that dehumanized that group of people. It easily creates an atmosphere of us versus them (the crazy, backward people living in our country).

And We Have Certainly Honored the Children of Adam – Islam’s View on Racism

And We have certainly honored the children of Adam and carried them on the land and sea and provided for them of the good things and preferred them over much of what We have created, with [definite] preference.

(Quran 17:70)

No one has the right to take away the honor that The Creator Almighty gave to any human being. In fact, using an advertisement that disgraces and dishonors anyone is a serious offense against The Almighty.

Yet today, some brands will do anything in order to grab the attention of their audience even if it means dehumanizing people of a certain race, religious belief, or nationality.

O you mankind, surely We created you of a male and a female, and We have made you races and tribes that you may get mutually acquainted. Surely the most honorable among you in the Providence of Allah are the most pious; surely Allah is Ever-Knowing, Ever-Cognizant.

(Quran 49:13)

The word used to describe  “the most pious” in Arabic is ‘“Atqakum” which stems from the word “Taqwa”, piety. Well then, now we know who is supposed to be superior to all other humans right? Let’s look at the most religious guy with the best deeds and give him the title.

Well no, because the word ‘Taqwa’ comes back in a Hadith where the Prophet points to his chest three times while he says, “Piety is here”. This indicated to the followers that no matter how many good deeds or how long someone’s beard is, we can never know who is the most pious and consequently the most honored.

This is Islam’s stance on Racism which we Muslims consider to be the consequence of the world’s first sin; the sin of arrogance. Arrogance is the way of Iblis (Satan/Lucifer) which causes a person to look down on others. It was arrogance that made Iblis refuse to bow down to Adam claiming that he was superior.

[Allah] said, “What prevented you from prostrating when I commanded you?” [Satan] said, “I am better than him. You created me from fire and created him from clay.”

(Quran 7:12)

Muslim Ad Network is Taking a Stance Against Racism

I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say, “Whosoever of you sees an evil, let him change it with his hand; and if he is not able to do so, then [let him change it] with his tongue; and if he is not able to do so, then with his heart — and that is the weakest of faith.”

(Muslim – On the authority of Abu Sa`eed al-Khudree)

At Muslim Ad Network, we do not have the authority to change the evil of racism with our hand. But we have the capability to change it with our tongue (meaning using media and communication).

This is why, as the largest Muslim advertising platform in the world, we are teaming up with Muslim Anti-Racism Collaborative (MuslimARC).

MuslimARC focuses on human rights education and raising awareness. It trains Muslim communities on issues of racial justice. In order to uproot racism, they develop and deliver education on internalized, interpersonal, and institutional racism.

Muslim Ad Network will offer MuslimARC free advertising indefinitely to help them spread awareness. We will not stand still, we will not be among those who remain silent when witnessing oppression.

“If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor.” – Desmond Tutu

Stand up and act now!

The post The World of Advertising and the Consequences of Racist Ads appeared first on Muslim Ad Network.