Which is better for one who has a debt: paying off the debt first, or performing Hajj?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner : Peace be upon you, and Allah's mercy and blessings.
The Shaykh : And upon you be peace, and Allah's mercy and blessings.
The questioner : O Shaykh, I am a married man and I want to perform Hajj, but I have a debt. Is it permissible for me to perform Hajj or not?
The Shaykh : It is better for the one who has a debt to pay off the debt first. Why?
Because Hajj is not obligatory for a person who has a debt; it is not obligatory. That is, a person who has a debt, even if he has money in his hand with which he can perform Hajj, is like a person who has no money. Paying off the debt is obligatory, and Hajj is not obligatory for the debtor. Therefore, a person should not prioritize what is not obligatory over what is obligatory. So we say: Do not perform Hajj until you pay off the debt that is upon you. A dirham you spend on a debt that is upon you is better than a dirham you spend on a Hajj that is not obligatory for you.
The questioner : What if he dies, O Shaykh?
The Shaykh : If he dies, he owes nothing.
The Shaykh : And upon you be peace, and Allah's mercy and blessings.
The questioner : O Shaykh, I am a married man and I want to perform Hajj, but I have a debt. Is it permissible for me to perform Hajj or not?
The Shaykh : It is better for the one who has a debt to pay off the debt first. Why?
Because Hajj is not obligatory for a person who has a debt; it is not obligatory. That is, a person who has a debt, even if he has money in his hand with which he can perform Hajj, is like a person who has no money. Paying off the debt is obligatory, and Hajj is not obligatory for the debtor. Therefore, a person should not prioritize what is not obligatory over what is obligatory. So we say: Do not perform Hajj until you pay off the debt that is upon you. A dirham you spend on a debt that is upon you is better than a dirham you spend on a Hajj that is not obligatory for you.
The questioner : What if he dies, O Shaykh?
The Shaykh : If he dies, he owes nothing.