Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh. (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

A pharmaceotical company for its promotion sales is offering some commission on its products. When one is accepted as an agent of the company, he has to convince others to accept the same offer and he earns some commission for each of the persons who becomes member due to ones efforts.

The same scheme is going on in so many businesslines worldwide. Please tell us about its financial legality in Islam. 

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Commission business lawful

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

As long as the product or commodity one is offering for sale is lawful in its essence, there is absolutely no harm in earning commissions for promoting its products.

The business of pharmaceuticals or pharmaceutical products are amongst the lawful commodities in Shariah, and if a pharmaceutical company is offering commission for promoting or selling its products, there seems to be nothing unlawful in working for such commissions.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan