Terms of Service
Effective 2026-05-13. Last updated 2026-05-13.
These Terms govern your use of qardon.org (the "Platform") operated by Qardon.org, an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (subject to IRS recognition). By using the Platform, you agree to these Terms.
1. The Platform
Qardon.org operates a member-funded, interest-free lending pool ("the Pool") plus a Recovery Fund for calamity aid. Members contribute to the Pool; eligible members may apply to borrow from the Pool at 0% interest; eligible members may file Recovery claims after a calamity.
2. Eligibility
You must be at least 18 years old and have legal capacity to contract in your jurisdiction. We may refuse service to any user at our sole discretion for any lawful reason (lawful — never on the basis of religion, ethnicity, race, national origin, or sexual orientation).
3. Membership and the reciprocity principle
By becoming a member, you commit to contributing to the Pool. You also receive the right to apply to borrow from the Pool when you need to. Membership is the foundation of the mutual-aid model. Inactive members (no contributions within the grace window) lose borrower eligibility until reactivated.
4. Contributions to the Pool
Your contribution enters the Pool whole and is preserved as principal. Qardon.org takes 0% fee on your contribution — 100% enters the Pool. The Pool is invested in halal-screened assets under religious-ethics oversight. Investment yield funds operations and the Recovery Fund. Excess yield grows the Pool.
Contributions are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by US law, once qardon.org's EIN and 501(c)(3) determination letter are issued. Until then, receipts are held and reissued. Contributions are not refundable once settled, except as required by law and except as described in §4A (Bootstrap Phase Refund Commitment) below.
4A. Bootstrap Phase Refund Commitment
Qardon.org is a Delaware nonprofit corporation that has filed a Form 1023 application for federal 501(c)(3) tax-exempt recognition. Until the IRS issues a determination letter (typically 6 to 12 months from filing), the Platform operates in a "bootstrap phase" with the following terms binding the Corporation:
- Escrow custody. All contributions are held in a dedicated escrow bank account titled in qardon.org's legal name. The Corporation does not commingle bootstrap-phase contributions with operating funds.
- Tax-deductibility on approval (retroactive). If the IRS approves the Form 1023 application, contributions made during bootstrap phase are tax-deductible retroactive to the date of contribution, to the extent permitted by 26 U.S.C. §170 and applicable IRS rules. Tax receipts are reissued accordingly.
- Full refund on denial. If the IRS denies the Form 1023 application and all administrative appeals are exhausted, the Corporation will refund 100% of contributed principal to each donor at the donor's last-known payment method (or wire/ACH if that method is unavailable). No fees, charges, processing costs, or platform deductions of any kind will be withheld from the refund. The Corporation bears any payment-processor fees incurred in issuing the refund.
- Loan applications and Recovery claims during bootstrap. The Corporation accepts and reviews loan applications and Recovery claims during bootstrap phase. Disbursements of loan proceeds and payouts of Recovery claims are deferred until the IRS issues the determination letter. Applicants and claimants are notified upon issuance and processed in queued order.
- Investment portfolio activation deferred. The three-vehicle halal portfolio (halal-screened public stocks, Sharia-Supervisory-Board-approved digital assets, and small-business Mudarabah Program-Related Investments) is not activated during bootstrap. Escrow funds remain in cash or FDIC-insured high-yield savings.
- No bootstrap fees to the borrower or the donor. The 0%-fee posture stated in §8 is preserved during bootstrap; in fact, the Corporation does not bill the qardon.com platform vendor during bootstrap either. Operating costs during bootstrap are absorbed by Fotoh, Inc. (the technology vendor's parent company) under standard nonprofit-recipient charitable-contribution rules.
The Bootstrap Phase Refund Commitment is binding on the Corporation and survives any amendment to these Terms during the bootstrap window. Cross-referenced in the Donor Waqf Agreement §7.
5. Loans from the Pool
Approved loans are disbursed from the Pool at 0% interest. Loan terms (amount, repayment period, installment schedule) are set per loan agreement, signed at approval. Approval is based exclusively on creditworthiness criteria (income, employment, credit history) — never demographic factors. Decline reasons are issued per ECOA adverse-action requirements.
No eviction. If you fall behind on installments, a grace period activates. Continued hardship reclassifies you as a person of calamity, and Recovery may cover missed installments while you recover. You resume installments when back on track. We never repossess your home for a missed payment.
6. Recovery Fund
Recovery is calamity aid for active members. Payouts are funded by investment yield + targeted contributions. Recovery is NOT insurance; we do not guarantee coverage. Payouts depend on fund availability and may be full or partial. Claims are reviewed by the Recovery Review Committee; approval criteria focus on verifying the calamity event, not on judging worthiness.
7. Verification consents
You authorize qardon.org to perform standard KYC (identity verification) and FCRA-authorized credit checks where applicable. For Recovery claims, you authorize verification with relevant third parties (insurance, police, hospital). See our Privacy Policy for full data handling.
8. Fees
Qardon.org takes 0% fee on donor contributions and 0% fee on borrower disbursements. 100% of every contribution enters the Pool whole. 100% of every approved loan disbursement reaches the borrower whole. There is no interest, no origination fee, no service charge, no processing fee passed through to you. Operations are funded from investment yield on the Pool plus charitable support from Fotoh, Inc. See the operating model page for full disclosure.
9. Acceptable use
You agree not to: (a) provide false information in any application or claim; (b) attempt to use the platform for money laundering, fraud, or other illegal activity; (c) circumvent verification or fraud-detection systems; (d) harass any qardon.org employee, board member, or contractor.
10. Disclaimers
The Platform is provided "as is" without warranties of any kind, except as required by law. Qardon.org does not guarantee loan approval, Recovery payout, or any specific outcome. Investment returns on the Pool are not guaranteed.
11. Limitation of liability
To the maximum extent permitted by law, qardon.org's aggregate liability is limited to the contributions you have made to the Pool. We are not liable for indirect, incidental, consequential, or punitive damages.
12. Governing law
These Terms are governed by the laws of the United States and the State of qardon.org's incorporation (to be confirmed upon registration). Disputes are resolved via binding arbitration in that jurisdiction, except for small-claims court actions.
13. Changes
We may update these Terms. Material changes will be posted with an updated effective date and notified to active members by email. Continued use after changes constitutes acceptance.