Review guidelines and moderation policy

The one rule that matters

Review only a trip you actually took, and describe only what actually happened. Nearly everything below follows from that. ZiyarahCheck exists so that a family choosing a group can trust what they read; a review that isn't a real experience isn't a small infraction, it's the thing we exist to prevent.

Writing a good review

• Say what was promised and what was delivered — the hotel's distance from the haram, whether the buses ran, whether the price matched the advert.
• Be specific. “The Najaf hotel was a twenty-minute walk, not five as advertised” helps someone; “terrible group” does not.
• Separate what you experienced from what you heard from others.
• Criticism is welcome. Honest, negative, detailed reviews are the most useful thing on this site.

What we remove

A review is removed, or refused publication, if it:

1. Describes a trip that did not happen, or a trip with a different operator.
2. Is written by the operator, their staff, their family, or a competitor — in either direction, whether flattering or damaging.
3. Was paid for, incentivised, or written in exchange for anything, including a discount or a place on a future trip.
4. Makes a factual allegation the writer cannot stand behind — theft, fraud, abuse, criminality — where we have asked and no substantiation is offered. Opinions about quality are not covered by this; allegations of criminal conduct are.
5. Names or identifies a private individual, including staff, group leaders or other zaireen, other than the operator itself. Say “the group leader”, not a person's name.
6. Contains other people's personal data — phone numbers, addresses, photographs of identifiable people, booking references.
7. Is abusive, harassing, or attacks a person or group on the basis of religion, sect, ethnicity, nationality, gender, disability or any other protected characteristic. Sectarian abuse is removed on sight.
8. Is unlawful, or would expose the writer or us to liability — including content that is defamatory, or that incites violence.
9. Is spam, advertising, or a link to a competing service.
10. Is duplicated — the same trip reviewed more than once, or the same text posted across several operators.

Where only part of a review is a problem, we prefer to ask the writer to edit it rather than remove the whole thing.

What we do not remove

An operator disagreeing with a review is not grounds for removal, and neither is a review being harsh, unflattering, or bad for business. If a review is an honest account of a real trip, it stays up — that is the entire point of the service. An operator who believes a review is inaccurate can claim their listing and either respond publicly beneath it or raise a formal dispute.

We also do not remove a review because the operator has offered a refund, a discount, or a place on another trip in exchange. If you are offered something to take a review down, please tell us.

What happens to an account

We escalate rather than jumping to a ban, except where the first offence is serious.

• A warning for a first breach that looks like a misunderstanding — naming a staff member, say, or reviewing a trip a relative took.
• Restriction — existing reviews stay, no new ones accepted — for a repeated breach after a warning.
• A ban, with all reviews removed, for: fabricating a trip; reviewing your own or a competitor's business; accepting payment for a review; abuse or harassment; or creating a second account after a restriction.

Where an account is banned we keep a minimal record — the email address and the reason — for as long as needed to enforce it. That is described in our privacy policy.

Operators: how to raise a problem

If you represent an operator and believe a review breaks these rules, email us at privacy@ziyarahcheck.com with a link to the review and what specifically is wrong with it. You do not need to have claimed your listing to complain.

We will acknowledge your complaint within 48 hours and tell you what happens next. Where a complaint alleges that a review is defamatory, we follow the process set out in the Defamation Act 2013 and its regulations: we will contact the reviewer, give them an opportunity to respond, and either remove the review or explain why it stays.

Claiming your listing gives you two further routes: a public response shown beneath any review, and a formal dispute. Claiming requires verification — either an email address on your own domain, or a check by a moderator. See how verification works.

Anyone: how to report a review

Email privacy@ziyarahcheck.com with a link to the review and the reason. You do not need an account to report something, and you do not need to be the operator. Reports about illegal content are prioritised.

Appeals

If we remove your review or restrict your account and you think we have it wrong, reply to the email we send you, or write to privacy@ziyarahcheck.com. A different decision-maker will look at it where one is available. We will give you a reason either way.

Records

We keep a record of every moderation decision — what was decided, on what basis, and when — so that decisions can be reviewed and are consistent. Travel evidence is sent after a review is published, at our invitation and at the reviewer's option. It is seen only by a moderator, is never published, and is deleted 90 days after we decide whether it supports the Verified traveller tick, or 90 days after we receive it if no decision is made. Where an operator has formally disputed the review, it is kept until the dispute is resolved and deleted 90 days after that.

Changes

We will post changes to these guidelines on this page and update the effective date. ZiyarahCheck is operated by WEBNFLIX LIMITED, a company registered in England and Wales, number 15937416.