Hajj & Student Loans

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   Ok, basically I will briefly explain the situation and what I want to do. I just need some advice on what is permissible and your recommendations in general.
I want to go hajj, I do not know if I can due to financial reasons but if I do get the chance, I am sure I can cover the money problem somehow, because I have taken out a student loan, that will contribute to most of the funding if the journey takes place, also that is the only way I can get, or go to where I want (Hajj).
The problem is I have heard that it is not permissible to go if you owe anyone money, is this true?
I have been trying to find a way around this for so long, but if i cant, should I go still? lol joking 
But I would like your honest opinions on this, a straight yes or no will do with some explanation.
Yeah anyway, can someone also tell me how much roughly the expenses will be? The prices will be pretty high by the looks of it. If I can go, I will be on my own, so I will not do much or any spending on luxury goods. I just want to perform my hajj if I can.
There are other problems to, like it falling during my term time at school, and the other things I need the money for, but if I can, I will take the chance because you don�t get it much in your life I guess.   
I will also appreciate it much if any other advice or things I need to know about the loan and hajj are given.

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imp87 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 15 July 2007 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 164	Post Options Post Reply Quote imp87 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: Hajj & Student Loans Posted: 06 February 2008 at 8:00am
	Ok, basically I will briefly explain the situation and what I want to do. I just need some advice on what is permissible and your recommendations in general. I want to go hajj, I do not know if I can due to financial reasons but if I do get the chance, I am sure I can cover the money problem somehow, because I have taken out a student loan, that will contribute to most of the funding if the journey takes place, also that is the only way I can get, or go to where I want (Hajj). The problem is I have heard that it is not permissible to go if you owe anyone money, is this true? I have been trying to find a way around this for so long, but if i cant, should I go still? lol joking But I would like your honest opinions on this, a straight yes or no will do with some explanation. Yeah anyway, can someone also tell me how much roughly the expenses will be? The prices will be pretty high by the looks of it. If I can go, I will be on my own, so I will not do much or any spending on luxury goods. I just want to perform my hajj if I can. There are other problems to, like it falling during my term time at school, and the other things I need the money for, but if I can, I will take the chance because you don�t get it much in your life I guess. I will also appreciate it much if any other advice or things I need to know about the loan and hajj are given.

Israfil Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 08 September 2003 Status: Offline Points: 3984	Post Options Post Reply Quote Israfil Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 06 February 2008 at 8:45am
	imp do you need to go to hajj now? I'm not sure what level of schooling you are currently in but if I were you, I'd save on the trip if you can and just save your money, but then again, I'm not sure what your current work situation is. The plane ticket, plus room and board can add up and even though you have a loan, if you are a student as you say you are I'd wait on the loan and simply use that for school. I know because since completing my PH.D. I have incurred a large loan amount of +$100k. So think about it.

martha Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 30 October 2007 Status: Offline Points: 1140	Post Options Post Reply Quote martha Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 06 February 2008 at 10:16am
	Its not nice to be in debt at all. I also owe money and cant see a way around it. Hajj should be done when you can afford it really. And I'm sure you will get loads of opportunities in the future. I would advise you save for it and go another year.
	some of us are a lot like cement:- all mixed up and permanently set

Aminah07 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 17 March 2007 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 219	Post Options Post Reply Quote Aminah07 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 06 February 2008 at 1:31pm
	ASA, I know for a fact that student loans are not Haram we having 2 students ready for college have checked into it and have been told that they are fine. I know for a fact that you can not go to Hajj if you borrow money for the trip or if you owe money to someone. There also is a ruling from the Northern American Fiqh Council that if you live in a non-Islamic country and have a mortgage that you can make Hajj. Also if you have a car loan and it is out of need to support you and your family it is allowed. About the student loan I'm not sure? The best thing to do is contact your local fiqh council and they can give you the rulings on it. My family is debt free accept our home and we are currently trying to get a Islamic mortgage. My personal opinion is for myself I'm only going to make it there once and being a sr. it's not like I can just go anytime I want like a br. could. I have to have mahram with me. So Insha'Allah if and when we go this year or next I want to go knowing if I die there I will enter Jannah. And if I return home to my family I want to know I completed my Hajj with no regrets.

Truth_light24 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 13 January 2008 Location: Philippines Status: Offline Points: 270	Post Options Post Reply Quote Truth_light24 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 06 February 2008 at 3:36pm
	Assalamo Alaykum Wr Wb Imp87 wrote: Ok, basically I will briefly explain the situation and what I want to do. I just need some advice on what is permissible and your recommendations in general. I want to go hajj, I do not know if I can due to financial reasons but if I do get the chance, I am sure I can cover the money problem somehow, because I have taken out a student loan, that will contribute to most of the funding if the journey takes place, also that is the only way I can get, or go to where I want (Hajj). The problem is I have heard that it is not permissible to go if you owe anyone money, is this true? I have read something of similar question in Fatawa Islamiyah Islamic Verdicts Volume 4 page 63 answered by Ash Shaykh Abdullah Bin Baz and here is his answer: RULING ON PERFORMING HAJJ BY TAKING LOAN Question: I want to perform hajj but I do not have what will suffice me for that. The place where I work agreed to give me a loan to cover the expenses of the Hajj which is to be repaid by deductions from my salary afterwards. Is this acceptable? Answer: It is acceptable that you do this. If you performed hajj with money that you borrowed, indeed it is accepted. However, it is better and more appropriate that you do not do this, because Allah has only made Hajj obligatory on whoever is able to find a way there, and right now you are not able to find a way. You should not take out a loan. For you do not know � maybe you will take a loan and the debt will remain under your responsibility, and then you will not be able to repay it afterwards. You maybe ill or you may not be able to get a job in the field that you work in or you may die. Therefore, you should not take a loan. Whenever Allah enriches you and you are able to get some wealth that you can perform Hajj with, then do so. If not then do not take a loan. by: Abdullah Bin Baz ��And Hajj (pilgrimage to Makkah) to the House (Ka'bah) is a duty that mankind owes to All�h, those who can afford the expenses (for one's conveyance, provision and residence)� (Quran 3:97) I have performed hajj last 2006 because the urge to do so is so strong and just like you I made a loan. I made my family know about my loan that in the event I cant make it home, they can pay it on my behalf. The loan is being deducted from my salary and now Alhamdulillah I have paid it all. Money owed to someone (loans etc) is something many people tend to treat very lightly, even though it is a very serious matter in Islam. It may keep you from entering Jannah. So if you really want to go on Hajj by taking loan, make arrangements for their payment during your absence in the event that you may not make it home. About the expenses, it depends upon your distance away from Makkah. The fare and hotels and foods. Thats all that will cost you. I have spent around US$4,500.00 for the whole 45 days I stayed there. May Allah make easy for us all the good deeds we want to do, ameen. Edited by Truth_light24
	And those who annoy believing men and women undeservedly, bear (on themselves) a calumny and a glaring sin. Quran33:59

rami Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Moderator Group Male Joined: 01 March 2000 Status: Offline Points: 2549	Post Options Post Reply Quote rami Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 06 February 2008 at 5:58pm
	Bi ismillahi rahmani raheem assalamu alaikum If you want to go to hajj and you have a loan owing then as long as you can still make payments on the loan it should be fine to go i think. If you want to take out a loan to simply go to hajj then i wouldn't advise that since essentially it means hajj is outside of your means and is not obligatory on you. If this loan is Riba based as most student loans are then can you imagine using haram money to do something halal, that is not permissible br. The source of our income or wealth effects the baracka we receive, why do you think we pay zakkat each year, its to purify our wealth from the haram in it, do you know the consequences of not paying zakat on your wealth....well essentially you would be using money with no zakat payed on it and from a haram source to do something that isnt obligatory on you. i would wait br until you can save up money, you would gain much more from Allah if the money you used was from the work of your own two hands. Edited by rami
	Rasul Allah (sallah llahu alaihi wa sallam) said: "Whoever knows himself, knows his Lord" and whoever knows his Lord has been given His gnosis and nearness.

imp87 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 15 July 2007 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 164	Post Options Post Reply Quote imp87 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 07 February 2008 at 7:59am
	Thank you all for the advice and info, it really did help a lot, I feel a lot better now, it is the urge to go there that hurts the most, I still have not made my mind up, but I have been pointed in a direction now, at least I will know better if it is right or wrong the decision I make, so thank you all because every word helped.