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:

Dear Brother,

 

I would like to ask you that, There is a loan on my Father`s Name and i have taken the responsibility to clear the loan. My Question is as i am working in Saudi Arabia and i would like to perform the Hajj, can i do so as i have the loan in my home or on my father`s name. Please clear it.

I hope you understood the question.

 

Thanks for your guidance.

May Allah Bless you and all our Islamic Brothers.

 

Wasim

 

(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:

 

Loan and hajj

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! 

 

Firstly brother, the loan that you have taken responsibility to fulfill is not your own but your father’s; thus the repayment of that loan should not stop you from fulfilling your obligatory Hajj pilgrimage, if indeed you have the physical and financial means to afford the pilgrimage to the Sacred House.

 

Secondly, even if you had taken out a loan for yourself and you were honoring that loan through your agreed installments, and your going to Hajj would not effect the terms of the re-payment of the loan, the majority of the scholars and jurists in Islam are of the opinion that the Hajj of such a person would be acceptable to Allah Subhanah.

 

The Hajj pilgrimage is not obligatory on those believers who do not have the physical or financial means to visit the Sacred House of Allah during the Hajj days; thus one should not take a loan especially and only to finance their Hajj pilgrimage.

 

But if one has taken out a loan for another purpose, and one is honoring the contract of the re-repayment of that loan….there is absolutely no harm if such a person performs their obligatory duty of Hajj unto their Lord.

 

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