Hajj and loans.
Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,
As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.
(May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)
One of our brothers/sisters has asked
this question:
My father and mother wants to ferform Hajj.
They don't have any debts or any loan,but i am spending on them to perform Hajj
and i have loans and debts.Is my Father and Mother can perform Hajj? Please
clarify me.
(There may be some grammatical and spelling
errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from
questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in
confidentiality.)
Answer:
Hajj and loans
In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His
help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and
whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness
that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that
Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.
Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 3 Surah Ale
Imran verses 96-97:
Undoubtedly the first House of Worship ever to
be built for mankind is the one which is at Makkah. It was blessed, and made the center of
guidance for all the peoples. In it are
clear Signs; there is a spot where
Ibraheem used to worship; and it is the Sanctuary, and whoever enters it
becomes safe and secure. Allah
has, therefore, a right on the people
that the one, who can afford to reach
the House, should perform Hajj there. And the one who disobeys (this commandment
should know that) Allah is Self-Sufficient, and does not stand in need of
anyone.
Allah Subhanah has made the pilgrimage of Hajj obligatory
on every sane, adult believer who has the financial and physical means to reach
the House at least once in their lifetime.
This pilgrimage of the Hajj is so sanctified that it is listed as one of
the five pillars upon which the deen of Islam is built!
If one does not have the necessary finance to afford the
Hajj journey or stay, then Hajj would not be deemed obligatory for such a
person; nor would the Lord Most Merciful, Most Gracious hold such a person
accountable for not performing the Hajj.
Fiqh-us-Sunnah Fiqh 5.15a
Abdullah ibn Abi 'Awfa relates: "I asked
the Prophet (saws) about a man who has not performed Hajj, 'Should he not get a
loan to perform Hajj?' The Prophet (saws) replied: 'No'”
Related by Al-Baihaqi.
If one does not posses the necessary provisions to perform
the Hajj, such a person will be excused by Allah Subhanah for not being able to
perform the obligatory Hajj pilgrimage.
If one took out a loan especially to perform the Hajj, although the Hajj
of the person would be deemed valid, but one would have acted against the clear
guidance and command of the Messenger of Allah (saws)…..and thus severely
disliked.
But if one has the necessary provisions and can afford the
Hajj journey and stay, and one also possesses the physical abilities to perform
the Hajj pilgrimage, then one is indeed eligible to go to Hajj and perform this
obligatory duty unto their Lord.
The taking of a loan by itself does not make one
ineligible to perform the Hajj, but it is the taking of a loan only so that one
may fulfill the Hajj expenses which is severely disliked and forbidden by the
Messenger of Allah (saws).
Thus if there is one who has an outstanding loan, and one
is paying one’s installments due on their outstanding loan according to their
agreed schedule with the lender, and one has the financial and physical ability
to afford the Hajj journey and stay, one would be liable and eligible to
perform the obligatory Hajj pilgrimage unto their Lord.
What is forbidden and severely disliked in Shariah is that
one who cannot afford the Hajj journey and stay, and one takes a loan
specifically to pay for their Hajj expenses....this is severely disliked and
forbidden in Shariah.
Your Question: They don't have any debts or
any loan,but i am spending on them to perform Hajj and i have loans and
debts.Is my Father and Mother can perform Hajj? Please clarify me.
We reiterate again that the taking of a loan or having a
debt by itself does not invalidate one’s Hajj pilgrimage…..it is the specific
taking of a loan to afford the Hajj which is severely disliked and forbidden in
Shariah.
As long as you do not take a loan only so that you can
afford to send your parents to Hajj, there is absolutely no harm if you finance
the Hajj of your parents.
Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only
due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only
Source of Strength.
Your brother and
well wisher in Islam,
Burhan