For Muslims, investing isn't just about chasing returns—it’s about doing the right thing with your money while building for the future. That’s where halal investing comes in.
But here’s the problem: most of the financial world doesn’t speak our language. Open any investing app and you’re immediately bombarded with companies profiting from alcohol, weapons, or interest-based business models. Even many of the so-called "halal" investment options feel like a black box.
This is exactly why we built Zoya. We were tired of the lack of transparency, the hidden compromises, and the feeling that we had to settle for less. Halal investing shouldn’t feel like a second-class option. It should feel like an upgrade.
So, what exactly is halal investing?
At its core, halal investing means putting your money into assets that are permissible under Islamic law. That means steering clear of industries that are explicitly haram—like alcohol, pork, adult entertainment, conventional financial services, and gambling—but also paying close attention to how companies manage their finances.
For example, a company might sell halal products but earn significant interest income from cash holdings. Or it might carry excessive debt, which would violate the financial ratio thresholds set by scholars. The details matter.
That’s why most Shariah screening methodologies follow a two-step approach:
- Business activity screening – Is the company operating in a permissible industry?
- Financial ratio screening – Does it keep its debt, interest income, and cash within acceptable thresholds?
If both tests are passed, the stock is considered Shariah-compliant. But that doesn’t mean it’s automatically a good investment. That’s where your own goals, values, and due diligence come in.
Why halal investing matters more than ever
The Muslim population is young, growing, and increasingly financially aware. Many of us are the first in our families to navigate the stock market. We’re building wealth not just for ourselves, but for future generations. And we want to do it right.
For decades, Muslims had few choices. Either invest in conventional products and live with the unease, or stay on the sidelines entirely. Today, that’s no longer the case. With the right tools, halal investing is not only possible—it’s competitive.
In fact, many of the world’s largest and most profitable companies are Shariah-compliant. From tech giants to consumer staples to energy producers, halal opportunities exist across nearly every sector.
The challenge isn’t access. It’s clarity.
Making halal investing easy and transparent
Zoya was built to solve this problem. We screen thousands of public companies using industry-recognized Shariah standards. We go beyond surface-level compliance, highlighting any red flags, gray areas, or controversies so that you can invest with confidence.
You can search any stock, instantly see whether it’s compliant, and dive into a detailed breakdown of its business activities, financial ratios, and even human rights violations flagged by independent organizations.
You can also invest directly through the app by connecting to a supported broker, build your own portfolio, or track your investments for zakat purposes.
In other words, you get all the tools you’d expect from a modern investing platform—just built from the ground up for halal-conscious investors.
A better alternative to high-fee halal ETFs
One of the most common ways Muslims have invested “halal” is through Shariah-compliant ETFs. While these can be useful, they often come with tradeoffs—namely high expense ratios, lack of customization, and limited transparency.
Zoya offers a better way. With custom stock baskets, you can recreate your favorite ETF using only the Shariah-compliant components—and invest in it directly without paying a management fee. You get the same diversification, but with more control, lower cost, and full transparency.
Purify your returns
We know halal investing goes beyond what you buy. It’s also about what you give back. That’s why Zoya includes tools to help you calculate zakat and purification amounts based on your exact portfolio, not some back-of-the-napkin estimate.
We’re not a robo-advisor. We don’t sell your data. We don’t earn commissions based on what you invest in. We just give you the tools to make informed, principled decisions—on your terms.
Halal investing isn’t a niche
What was once seen as a constraint is now a competitive edge. When you invest halal, you avoid overleveraged companies, unstable financials, and speculative industries. You stay grounded in real economic value. You build wealth in a way that’s sustainable—both financially and spiritually.
And with Zoya, it’s never been easier.