Should he pay for his poor sister to do Hajj or pay off her husband’s debts?

Question 109326

I am a man who is well off, and I have a sister whose husband is not well off. He had an accident and ended up in debt, and he is not able to pay off the debt, because his family is very big, and he is the only breadwinner for his family. I have done the obligatory Hajj, and I have done Hajj for a second time. Now I want to do Hajj for a third time, and take my sister for Hajj at my own expense, because she cannot afford to do the obligatory Hajj. Which is better before Allaah, to take my sister with me for Hajj, or to use the money that I have for Hajj on relieving her husband’s hardship?.

Answer

Praise be to Allah.

If the matter is as you describe, and your sister’s husband is in debt and he cannot pay it off, then it is better for you to pay off his debts with what you have, and delay taking your sister for Hajj, because paying off her husband’s debts and relieving the hardship of both of them is more important than taking her for Hajj, and is more beneficial for both of them. She is not obliged to do Hajj until she can afford it.

And Allaah is the Source of strength. May Allaah send blessings and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad and his family and companions. End quote.

Standing Committee for Academic Research and Issuing Fatwas

Shaykh ‘Abd al-‘Azeez ibn ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Baaz, Shaykh ‘Abd al-Razzaaq ‘Afeefi, Shaykh ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Ghadyaan, Shaykh ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Qa’ood.

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Should he pay for his poor sister to do Hajj or pay off her husband’s debts?

Question 109326

Answer