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Muslim Jurists have unanimously agreed that Hajj is obligatory upon anyone who is able to perform it, based on the verse in which Allah says: (Pilgrimage thereto is a duty men owe to Allah, those who can afford the journey…) (Aal `Imran 3:97).

Before going to Hajj one should relieve himself of obligations towards others, his trusts and debts. If one is in debt, he can not go for Hajj as this debt is the right of the creditor. However, if the creditor allows him/her to go for Hajj, then he/she can perform Hajj.

Elaborating more on this, Dr. Muzammil Siddiqi, President of the Fiqh Council of North America, states:

1. Hajj is not obligatory (Fard) on a person who is in debt. However, if a person has a long-term loan and he/she is required to pay only a certain amount every month, then his/her debt is only that which is due every month. If he/she pays off all the debt and then nothing is left with him/her to make Hajj, then Hajj is not obligatory on him/her. But if he/she only pays his/her monthly dues and then has enough money to make Hajj, then he/she should make Hajj because it obligatory on him/her.

2. If someone is in debt and his/her creditor allows him/her to go for Hajj, then he/she can perform Hajj. If a person takes loan (of course without interest) to perform Hajj and he makes Hajj, his/her Hajj is valid, although he/she was not required to do so and Hajj was not obligatory on him/her.

3. There is nothing wrong in going for Hajj and also doing some business on the side to make money or to pay some debts, as long as Hajj is performed with sincerity and all its rituals are carried out properly. In this respect, Allah Almighty says: (It is no sin for you that ye seek the bounty of your Lord (by trading).) (Al-Baqarah 2:198)