01 / Charter
A good outcome should not require bad practice.
This is how Qognis operates. We wrote it down so it can be held to, not implied so it can be quietly dropped. It's an operating document, dated, not a marketing paragraph.
- Effective
- 01 Jan 2026
- Applies to
- Every engagement we accept, every deliverable we build, every revenue line we book.
No riba, no gharar, no maysir
We don't use three things in our own pricing, and we won't build them into a client product. Riba (الربا) is interest, money charged for the use of money. Gharar (الغرر) is uncertainty or deception in the terms, like hidden clauses or dark patterns. Maysir (الميسر) is gambling or speculation, profit from chance instead of work.
In practice
Our prices are fixed and stated up front. No interest, no penalty late fees, no financing that profits from a client's delay. Statutory commercial interest on an overdue invoice is an indemnity, not financing, and is reserved. If a product's revenue depends on interest, lending, compounding fees, or a gambling mechanic, we're not the right studio. For a project that wants an embedded credit or BNPL option, we integrate a Sharia-compliant alternative (such as murabaha) rather than build the credit logic ourselves. The list isn't exhaustive. We follow the principle, not just the words.
No haram industries
We don't build for prohibited industries, including alcohol, gambling, adult content, illicit drugs, and pork, regardless of how they're priced. The list isn't exhaustive. We follow the principle.
In practice
If a product's core subject matter falls in a prohibited industry, we say so plainly and decline. Where the line is unclear, like generic tooling for a conventional bank versus building that bank's lending engine, we escalate to the founder and, where it matters, to scholarly review.
No disappearing value
Credits, retainers, and customer money do not silently expire on our watch.
In practice
Unused scope is carried or refunded, not quietly voided. Any expiry that exists is stated plainly before you pay, never buried in terms.
No ownership ambiguity
Access, source material, responsibilities, and handover are made explicit before, during, and at the end of the work.
In practice
You receive your accounts, repositories, and documentation. We do not hold infrastructure or credentials hostage as leverage.
No theatre
Claims, timelines, availability, and evidence are stated plainly, without invented proof.
In practice
We do not fabricate logos, awards, testimonials, or metrics. When work cannot be shown, we say so rather than dress up a placeholder as a result.
Report a concern
If you believe we have fallen short of any commitment on this page, as a client, a candidate, or anyone else, tell us. We would rather hear it than not.
Raise it directly →Or email studio@qognis.ai
The Ethics Charter is attached to every proposal, statement of work, and engagement letter issued by Qognis Studio and acknowledged by the client on signature. In any conflict between a project document and these five rules, the rules prevail. Counterparty: Qognis BV, Marialand 6, 9000 Gent, Belgium. KBO/BCE BE 1036.732.337 · VAT BE1036732337.