Is the Hajj of a person who has a debt valid, especially if the amount is large and he cannot pay it off except after a long, specific period of time that he cannot determine?
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The questioner : Is the Hajj of a person who has a debt valid, especially if the debt is a large amount, and he cannot pay it off except after a long period of time that he cannot determine?
The Shaykh : Yes. The Hajj of a person who has a debt is valid, but he is sinful if he performs Hajj while having a debt, because paying off the debt is obligatory, and Hajj is not obligatory for him if he has a debt. This is because Allah the Exalted made the ability to perform Hajj a condition for it, saying:[Ali 'Imran 3:97] And a person who has a debt cannot perform Hajj if his Hajj requires money. However, if his Hajj does not require money, such as a man in Makkah who can perform Hajj on foot without losing any money, then in this case, Hajj is obligatory for him, and he is not sinful in doing so, because that does not harm his creditors in any way. A distinction is made between a man who performs Hajj, or a man who performs Hajj without expense because he is from the people of Makkah and can perform Hajj on foot, and another person who cannot perform Hajj except with money. The first one is allowed to perform Hajj even if he has a debt; in fact, Hajj is obligatory for him if he has not yet performed the obligatory Hajj.
As for the second one, Hajj is not obligatory for him, and it is not permissible for him to perform Hajj while having a debt, because paying off the debt is obligatory, and Hajj is not obligatory in the case where a debt is established upon a person. Yes.
The questioner : May Allah reward you. The listener, E E from Saudi Arabia, says.
The Shaykh : Yes. The Hajj of a person who has a debt is valid, but he is sinful if he performs Hajj while having a debt, because paying off the debt is obligatory, and Hajj is not obligatory for him if he has a debt. This is because Allah the Exalted made the ability to perform Hajj a condition for it, saying:
And [due] to Allah from the people is a pilgrimage to the House - for whoever is able to find thereto a way
وَلِلَّهِ عَلَى النَّاسِ حِجُّ الْبَيْتِ مَنِ اسْتَطَاعَ إِلَيْهِ سَبِيلًاAs for the second one, Hajj is not obligatory for him, and it is not permissible for him to perform Hajj while having a debt, because paying off the debt is obligatory, and Hajj is not obligatory in the case where a debt is established upon a person. Yes.
The questioner : May Allah reward you. The listener, E E from Saudi Arabia, says.