Commission for encouraging people to join an institute

29-12-2005 | IslamWeb

Question:

I did encourage some friends to subscribe for a business marketing course which I provide them through one of my friend agency for a special price and after that the owner of the agency want to give me a 10% of the money they paid. At the beginning I was not intending to get a percentage I was do it as a help for them. I want to ask if I took that percentage is it ok or it will be Haraam. And also the owner encourages me to invite more people and a good percentage also.... please advice me.

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Answer:

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger. We ask Allaah to exalt his mention as well as that of his family and all his companions.

 

We do not see any harm in taking the money you are asking about, and which the owner of the institute pays you. It is permissible for you to take this money whether you principally intended to take it or did it as an act of help. Even if you just helped your friend and then he gifted you this money, then there is no harm in taking it. If you do that by agreeing with the owner of the institute, it is what is religiously called Ja'aalah, a conditional payment, and it is permissible. The evidence about its permissibility is the Saying of Allaah (which means): {"We are missing the measure of the king. And for he who produces it is [the reward of] a camel’s load, and I am responsible for it.”}[Quran 12:72]. For Ja'aalah to be permissible, the amount of money [or percentage] should be defined at the beginning. 

Allaah Knows best.