Some people are over fifty years old and have properties, farms, and houses, and they have a debt, and they have not performed Hajj. When they are advised to perform Hajj, they make excuses with the debt despite their ability to do so.

The questioner : The second part says: Some people are over fifty years old and have properties, farms, lands, and houses, and they have a debt, and they have not fulfilled the obligation of Hajj. When they are advised to perform Hajj, they make excuses with the debt despite their ability to pay off their debt by selling some of their properties. Is it permissible for them to secure their debt with a pledge and then perform Hajj, or is that debt an excuse for them?

The Shaykh : I see that he should sell from these properties that he does not need, pay off his debt, and perform Hajj. Because the man is wealthy, and wealth is not the abundance of money; wealth is the abundance of assets that exceed a person's need. If he has many real estate properties, he can sell one out of ten of them and perform Hajj. It is obligatory for him to sell and perform Hajj. This is what is obligatory upon him. And this man does not know; perhaps he will not live to see the morning or the evening, or he will not live to see the evening or the morning, and these properties will remain for others to enjoy them, while it will be a burden upon him.