All guides
Getting started
What should I do before buying my first investment?
A short checklist for first-time investors covering goals, risk, costs and Shariah checks.
Published 6 August 2026 3 min read
The short answer
Before buying, set clear goals, confirm your time horizon and risk tolerance, learn about the product, check costs and understand whether the investment is Shariah-compliant if that matters to you.
Checklist
Confirm your investment objective, check fees, read the fund prospectus or product terms, and check whether the investment meets your Shariah criteria or whether purification is needed.
Shariah-compliance considerations
If Shariah compliance is important, look for the fund’s screening methodology, Shariah board and AAOIFI-based approaches where applicable.
What this means in practice
- 1Define your goal (retirement, house deposit, long-term growth).
- 2Choose an account type (ISA, LISA, general account) and read product documents.
- 3Check provider fees and the fund’s Shariah methodology if required.