Not bogged down by the economic downturn, an American revert expat, along with a Saudi businesswoman, has launched a website to show people suffering from the crisis how to make money online. “It's especially perfect for Saudi Arabia. Basically anybody can do this, if they know some English and have a computer. This is an equal opportunity for both expats and Saudis,” said Umm Adam Intisar Ammar aka ‘The Veiled Affiliate', who is an internet marketing consultant and the founder of a blog and five business websites, the website www.saudihomeincometeam.com and blog www.theveiledaffiliate.com being the two most prominent. “The Saudi Home Income Team is a business run by me and a Saudi national, Salasibillah Al Harbi. It is not official yet. I launched it online first. Team members are anyone in our up or down lines. The website, launched this month, has been designed to promote the concept of making money online in Saudi Arabia,” she said. Umm Adam said the website teaches one how to start an Internet business as an affiliate marketer to advertise one's own website. “To be successful online, you have got to have a system in place, a system to develop and grow a massive and highly responsive customer/prospect list for your business,” says the marketing expert. Website-run businesses can be run from anywhere in the world. What about the costs involved? “Money can be earned online using completely free methods and/or methods with no up-front costs. However, if you are serious about building an online business, you will need to treat this like any other business and give yourself a budget. In comparison to other investments, the cost is ridiculously low, often starting for less than $100,” Umm Adam said. Asked why she chose to go with the pseudonym ‘The Veiled Affiliate', she says: I have chosen this name to brand myself in the competitive internet marketing world. Building a quality online presence and reputation for yourself is vital to the future of your career.” “I feared that seeing a Muslim name, many would not be interested in working with me. However, I noticed that the most successful online marketers had their own websites, their names and pictures, and people felt more connected to them. I decided to put my trust in Allah and ‘come out',” Umm Adam said. She says her four children have been the inspiration behind the Saudi Home Income Team. “There are men and women who would like to spend more time with their families without having to constantly worry about working more hours away from their families in order to make more money. This is the inspiration behind this venture,” she added. A lot has been said about internet marketing not being Shariah-compliant. “I read a fatwa from the Standing Committee that all network marketing is haraam. I do not agree with it. The fatwa mentioned reasons such as frauds and deceiving people as the reason for declaring it haram. Our website does not promote anything fraudulent, deceitful, Riba-based, or any haram products and Allah Knows Best,” she said. Married to another American citizen, Umm Adam says she enjoys living in the Eastern Province (Dhahran). “As Muslims, who strive to adhere to the Quran and Sunnah, we decided that if Allah gave us the opportunity to make hijrah then we would accept it. This is a good place to raise children,” she added. Living in a country where the government is doing all it can to boost employment rates among women, Umm Adam believes that the best place for the Muslim woman is in the house and for the past 10 years she has committed herself to being a stay-at-home-mother. “While a woman has been granted the right to leave her home for her needs, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said the best place for us is at home. What better place to be than in your home?” she asks. Umm Adam has a word for expats in the Kingdom: “The Saudi government, like any other government, has to do what is in the best interest of its citizens. This is a driving point for me to do well in my business. As an expat, my husband does not have job security. The Saudi Home Income creates a viable backup plan for expats in the Kingdom.”
