I have bought things because the product looked good online.
Not because I had planned to buy it. Not because I had compared it properly. I saw somebody I liked using it, the video made it look effortless, there was a discount code and suddenly the purchase felt obvious.
Influencer marketing works because it does not always feel like advertising. It arrives inside a relationship with a creator I already watch.
That is why I have started building a pause between “I want that” and “buy now”.
Did I need this before I saw the content, or did the content create the feeling of need?
I am not anti-shopping or anti-influencer
I run businesses. I understand marketing. Creators need to earn. Brands need to sell. Affiliate links can be a legitimate way to fund useful content.
My issue is not that somebody is recommending a product. My issue is how easily I can confuse recommendation, aspiration and need.
Qur’an 25:67 describes the servants of the Most Merciful as those who, when spending, are neither extravagant nor miserly, but take a balanced way between them.
That balance is something I want to bring into the checkout page.
The five-minute pause I use before buying
1. What problem is this actually solving?
I try to describe the problem without naming the product.
If I cannot explain what I need it for, I probably just like the idea of owning it.
2. Do I already own something that does the job?
This catches clothing, gadgets, supplements, kitchen products and productivity tools.
The marketing often sells me a new version of a problem I have already solved.
3. Would I buy it at full price?
A discount code can make spending £80 feel like “saving £20”.
If I would not want the product without the urgency of the discount, I question how real the desire is.
4. Is the recommendation independent?
If there is an affiliate link, sponsorship or gifted product, that does not automatically make the recommendation dishonest.
It simply means I should remember that there is a commercial relationship. I look for whether the creator clearly discloses it and whether they explain drawbacks as well as benefits.
5. Can this purchase wait 24 hours?
If the answer is no only because a countdown timer is flashing, I usually wait anyway.
A good purchase often still makes sense tomorrow. An impulse often loses its power once the emotional moment passes.
Muslim branding can make me lower my guard
This is something I think our community needs to talk about more.
If a product has Arabic calligraphy, “halal” in the name, a Muslim creator promoting it or a charity angle, I can become less critical because the branding feels familiar.
Muslim-owned businesses deserve support, but Muslim branding should not replace normal questions about quality, price, claims and whether I need the product at all.
A halal product can still be poor value. An Islamic-looking advert can still create unhealthy consumer pressure.
The hadith that helps me redefine rich
Sahih al-Bukhari 6446 records the Prophet ﷺ teaching that wealth is not simply having many possessions, but richness of the soul.
I find that especially powerful in an economy built around showing me one more thing I could own.
If my sense of sufficiency depends on never seeing a better product, I will never feel sufficient.
My practical buying checklist
- Did I already plan to buy this category of product?
- Can I afford it without creating stress elsewhere?
- Have I compared at least two alternatives?
- Have I checked independent reviews outside the creator’s own link?
- Is the claim realistic, especially for health and wellness products?
- Is the promotion clearly disclosed?
- Will I still want it after a 24-hour pause?
Where I am extra cautious
Supplements and health claims
If an influencer is making medical or health claims, I do not treat popularity as expertise. I check the evidence and, where necessary, speak to an appropriate healthcare professional.
“Limited stock” and countdown pressure
Urgency is a powerful sales tool. Sometimes it is genuine. Sometimes it is part of the funnel. Either way, urgency does not change my budget.
Luxury lifestyle content
If I am buying to feel closer to somebody else’s lifestyle rather than because the item is useful to me, I try to notice that before I pay for it.
I still enjoy buying good things
This is not a call to make life colourless.
I like quality. I like good design. I like supporting businesses I believe in. I just want purchases to fit inside my values rather than become the way I regulate comparison, boredom or mood.
Frequently asked questions
Are affiliate links wrong?
I am not giving a fiqh ruling here. From a consumer perspective, I simply want commercial relationships to be transparent so I can judge the recommendation properly.
Should I avoid Muslim influencers who sell products?
No. I follow and support Muslim creators and businesses. I just apply the same buying discipline I would use anywhere else.
How do I stop impulse buying from social media?
The most effective change for me is adding friction: save the product, close the app, wait, compare and return later if it still makes sense.
Sources
- Qur’an 25:67 on balanced spending.
- Qur’an 17:26-27 on wastefulness.
- Sahih al-Bukhari 6446 on richness of the soul.
My takeaway: I do not want every good advert to become a new need.
