Assalamu ʿalaykum Shaykh. I’m considering paying a Muslim influencer who became famous through MMA to promote a halal product on Instagram. The video would be on his account, and he would speak positively about the brand. Is it permissible to partner with him for this, knowing his fame came from MMA? And if I sponsor a YouTube video with an influencer and I’m only responsible for a 90-second segment where the influencer promotes a brand in a halal way, am I sinful if the rest of the video contains music or haram content? Jazakum Allahu khayran.
Answer
بسم الله والحمد لله، والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله، أما بعد
If the arrangement is limited to paying the influencer to promote a product that is halāl and beneficial, and the contractual terms between you both are Sharīʿah-compliant, then there is no religious concern with such a partnership, provided that your agreement does not promote mixed martial arts (MMA) itself or any element of his fame that stems from impermissible activity.
The essence of this matter lies in ensuring that your financial dealings and collaborations are based on taʿāwun ʿalā al-birr wa al-taqwā (mutual cooperation upon righteousness and piety), rather than taʿāwun ʿalā al-ithm wa al-ʿudwān (cooperation upon sin and transgression). Allah Most High says:
وَتَعَاوَنُوا عَلَى الْبِرِّ وَالتَّقْوَىٰ وَلَا تَعَاوَنُوا عَلَى الْإِثْمِ وَالْعُدْوَانِ ۚ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ ۖ إِنَّ اللَّهَ شَدِيدُ الْعِقَابِ
“And cooperate with one another in righteousness and piety, but do not cooperate in sin and aggression. And fear Allah; indeed, Allah is severe in punishment.”
(Qur’ān 5:2)
Therefore, if the influencer is simply lending his platform or voice to promote a halāl product, and your payment relates purely to that specific and permissible activity, not his sporting career nor content that contradicts Islamic ethics, then your involvement is lawful.
As for sponsoring a short segment within a longer video (for example, a 90-second halāl promotion within a YouTube video that might otherwise contain music or impermissible content), your responsibility is confined to your own participation. You would not bear sin for unrelated segments you neither commissioned nor approved, so long as:
Your portion is halāl in both content and presentation, and
Your sponsorship does not explicitly support, endorse, or depend on the impermissible parts of that video.
If, however, your payment directly contributes to or facilitates ḥarām elements (for example, background music or indecent imagery in your sponsored segment), then the ruling would differ, as that would constitute indirect assistance in sin.
In summary:
If the partnership and payment concern only a halāl promotion, within permissible limits, and without aiding or promoting ḥarām, then it is allowed. You are not accountable for the influencer’s unrelated actions or content beyond the agreed segment.
And Allah knows best.