The Ruling on Hajj While in Debt

Question : If a person wants to perform Hajj but has a debt, such as installments on a mortgage, and he has passed two installments without paying them, is it permissible for him to perform Hajj before paying them, or not?

Answer : First, Hajj will come to us, if Allah wills, and one of its conditions is the ability to perform it. We will divide this topic, if Allah wills, in the next lesson. A person in debt is not considered able to perform Hajj. If he is not able, then Hajj is not obligatory for him. The debt, however, is obligatory for him. A sensible person does not do what is not obligatory while leaving what is obligatory. Rather, a sensible person starts first with the obligatory, then proceeds to what is not obligatory. So we say: the debt is obligatory for you to pay, whereas Hajj is not an obligation for you right now as long as you are in debt and unable to settle it. So thank Allah for your well-being and do not perform Hajj. The dirham or riyal you would spend on Hajj, put it toward paying off the debt. Suppose you owe five hundred thousand and you would perform Hajj for five hundred riyals. We say: pay off part of the debt with the five hundred riyals and do not perform Hajj. If you give five hundred riyals to the person you owe five hundred thousand to, how much do you still owe him? Five hundred thousand minus five hundred riyals. So the debt decreases, and this is a benefit. Yes. If, hypothetically, the debtor finds someone to carry him for free, such as a person who comes to him and says, "Perform Hajj with us, help us, and we will cover your expenses," then in this case he performs Hajj, because it does not harm his creditors in any way. But if he wants to spend his own money, we tell him: do not perform Hajj, but pay off your debt. This is what is best for you. Yes.