Abstract

How religion is used as a business tool across different major religious groups — including Islam, Hinduism, Sikhism, Christianity, and Judaism. Our focus is on financial exploitation, emotional manipulation, institutional profit-making, and political influence, supported by real-world observations and examples.Clerics across religions use emotional influence and moral authority to collect donations, offerings, and religious fees under the pretext of spiritual obligation, divine reward, or fear of punishment.In Islamic communities, clerics monetize faith through sadaqah, zakat, khairat, and nazrana, often without transparency. Spiritual services like taweez, wazaif, and paid healing prayers generate steady income streams.Popular Islamic televangelists and YouTube preachers gain financial benefits through online donations, advertising revenue, sponsored content, and merchandise while maintaining an image of piety.