Is it permissible for a person to borrow money to perform Hajj? And if a person performs Hajj while owing a due debt, is his Hajj valid, whether the creditor permits it or not?
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The questioner : He says: Regarding Hajj with the ability to perform it and the presence of debt, is it permissible for a person to borrow money to perform Hajj? And if a person performs Hajj while owing a due debt, is his Hajj valid, whether the creditor permits it or not?
The Shaykh : Yes. First, my brothers: We must thank Allah (Mighty and Majestic) and praise Him for not making Hajj obligatory on one who has a debt, out of mercy for people. If you have a debt, do not perform Hajj, because Hajj is not obligatory on you in the first place. If you were to meet your Lord, you would meet Him without having been negligent, because Hajj was not obligatory on you. So praise Allah that He has made things easy for you. Know that the right of a human being is based on strictness, and a human being does not drop any part of his right. And the right of Allah is based on what? On forgiveness. Do you reject Allah’s favor upon you and say: “I want to perform Hajj, and I have a debt, and the debt remains pending in your liability,” even though Hajj is not obligatory on you? Hajj is never obligatory on one who has a debt, except if the debt is deferred. And the person is confident that when the installment becomes due, he will pay it. And he has money in his hand with which he can perform Hajj. Here we say: Perform Hajj, because you are able to do so without harm. Accordingly, the one who has a debt to the real estate bank and is confident in himself that when the installment becomes due he will pay it, and he has money in his hand now with which he can perform Hajj, let him perform Hajj. But if he is not confident that he will pay the debt when the installment becomes due, he does not perform Hajj, and he keeps the money with him until the installment becomes due, then he pays what is due on him.
The questioner : A question for Buraydah, O Shaykh.
The Shaykh : Yes, indeed.
The Shaykh : Yes. First, my brothers: We must thank Allah (Mighty and Majestic) and praise Him for not making Hajj obligatory on one who has a debt, out of mercy for people. If you have a debt, do not perform Hajj, because Hajj is not obligatory on you in the first place. If you were to meet your Lord, you would meet Him without having been negligent, because Hajj was not obligatory on you. So praise Allah that He has made things easy for you. Know that the right of a human being is based on strictness, and a human being does not drop any part of his right. And the right of Allah is based on what? On forgiveness. Do you reject Allah’s favor upon you and say: “I want to perform Hajj, and I have a debt, and the debt remains pending in your liability,” even though Hajj is not obligatory on you? Hajj is never obligatory on one who has a debt, except if the debt is deferred. And the person is confident that when the installment becomes due, he will pay it. And he has money in his hand with which he can perform Hajj. Here we say: Perform Hajj, because you are able to do so without harm. Accordingly, the one who has a debt to the real estate bank and is confident in himself that when the installment becomes due he will pay it, and he has money in his hand now with which he can perform Hajj, let him perform Hajj. But if he is not confident that he will pay the debt when the installment becomes due, he does not perform Hajj, and he keeps the money with him until the installment becomes due, then he pays what is due on him.
The questioner : A question for Buraydah, O Shaykh.
The Shaykh : Yes, indeed.