All perfect praise be to Allah the Lord of the Worlds. May His peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Mohammad and upon all his family and companions.
E-commerce and electronic marketing are modern methods that rely on presenting and selling products through the Internet to reach a wide range of customers worldwide.
Offering a monetary reward on an e-commerce website for customers who provide reviews of their purchase experience is permissible as long as the review is genuine and truthful. The monetary amount given to the buyer can be considered a reward from the website for their honest feedback.
Similarly, using the discount code by the customer or others to receive a discount when making a purchase is also permissible. These discount codes are part of the promotional offers presented by the website to attract customers without any additional cost, making them similar to donation contracts, and there is no harm in such contracts.
Rating products without using them or verifying their quality in order to receive a reward is deceptive and misleading to buyers. It constitutes a false evaluation that has no basis in reality, and it falls under the category of lying and deception, which we are warned against in the Quran. Allah says {What means}: "O ye who believe! Fear God and be with those who are true (in word and deed)." {At-Tawbah, 119}. He also says {What means}: "It is those who believe not in the Signs of God, that forge falsehood: it is they who lie!." {An-Nahl, 105}. Furthermore, Allah says {what means}: "but shun the abomination of idols, and shun the word that is false,-" {Al-Hajj, 30}.
This is a form of deception, which our Prophet Mohammad (peace be upon him) prohibited. He said, "Whoever cheats is not one of us" {Transmitted by Muslim}. In addition, this behavior goes against the principle of sincerity and honesty that our Prophet emphasized. He taught us the importance of giving sincere advice when he said, "Religion is sincerity." When asked, "To whom?" he replied, "To Allah, His Book, His Messenger, and to the leaders of the Muslims and their common folk." {Transmitted by Sahih Muslim}.
In conclusion, it is permissible to accept the small monetary rewards or discounts offered by these website in exchange for product reviews or evaluations, as long as this is done honestly and sincerely without engaging in any manipulation, deception, or falsification when assessing the product. Moreover, the evaluation should be truthful and sincere when sharing it with others. And Allah the Almighty knows best.
