The Ruling on Hajj in the Presence of Debt

Question:
Honorable Shaykh, a questioner wants to perform Hajj as a voluntary act, but he has a debt. Is it better for him to perform Hajj or to pay off the debt? And does the ruling differ if the debt is due immediately or deferred?

Answer:
The ruling does not differ between a current debt and a deferred one; both require payment. However, if he has money sufficient to pay the debt and cover the expenses of Hajj, he should set aside what is needed to pay the debt. As for the rest, if he does not have enough money for both, he prioritizes paying the debt and does not have enough for both. He must save the money to pay the debt. This is obligatory upon him. As for Hajj, if it is an obligation, he does not have to perform Hajj because he is not able to afford it. If it is voluntary, the result is that if he has a lot of money that is sufficient for Hajj and sufficient to pay his debt, he has no obligation regarding the money. But if the money is little and is not enough except to pay the debt or part of it, he does not perform Hajj; it is not permissible for him to perform Hajj, unless the creditor forgives him. Yes.