Al-Sharḥ al-Mumtiʿ - Ibn al-'Uthaymin - (7/27)

Al-Sharḥ al-MumtiʿIbn al-'Uthaymin

riyals per month, or over ten days, for example. If he were to remain in his town, he would not earn those one thousand riyals. Is he permitted to perform Hajj?

The answer is that he may perform Hajj. Debt does not prevent Hajj from becoming obligatory if the debt is less than the amount he will be paid. But if it is greater, then part of it will still remain as a liability upon him, and this prevents Hajj from becoming obligatory.

Suppose that he finds someone who will take him on Hajj free of charge and pay him nothing. Would performing Hajj in this case harm him with respect to his debt?

The answer requires further detail. If, by remaining behind, he would work and earn wages, then remaining behind is better than performing Hajj. But if he would earn nothing by remaining behind, then Hajj and not performing Hajj are equal in his case. In any event, Hajj is not obligatory upon him so long as even one dirham remains as a liability upon him. The same applies to expiations: if he is required to free a slave and has ten thousand riyals, such that he must either free the slave for ten thousand riyals or perform Hajj, we say: Do not perform Hajj; rather, free the slave as the expiation due from you. This is because its obligation preceded the obligation of Hajj, and Hajj is obligatory only for one who is able; and one whose debt remains outstanding is not deemed able.

The second matter is indicated by his words:

“Lawful maintenance and essential needs ...”

“Lawful maintenance” means maintenance approved and permitted by the Sacred Law, such as spending upon oneself and one’s dependants without extravagance. Thus, if a person has ten thousand riyals, and performing Hajj with it would reduce his maintenance funds, whereas spending it on maintenance would make Hajj impossible, should he perform Hajj even if his maintenance is reduced, or should he not perform Hajj?

The answer is that he should not perform Hajj. However, the author stipulated that the maintenance must be lawful. If it is not lawful—being extravagant expenditure—or

ريال في الشهر أو في عشرة أيام مثلاً، ولو بقي في البلد لم يستفد هذه ألف الريال، فهل له أن يحج؟ فالجواب: له أن يحج، ولا يمنع الدين وجوب الحج إذا كان الدين أقل مما سيعطى، أمّا إذا كان أكثر فإنه لا يزال باقياً في ذمته، فيمنع الوجوب. ولو فرضنا أنه وجد من يحج به مجاناً، ولا يعطيه شيئاً، فهل هذا يضره لو حج بالنسبة للدين؟ الجواب: فيه تفصيل: إذا كان لو بقي لَعَمل، وحصّل أجرة فبقاؤه خير من الحج، وإذا كان لا يحصل شيئاً لو بقي فهنا يتساوى في حقه الحج وعدمه، وعلى كل تقدير فإن الحج لا يجب عليه ما دام يبقى في ذمته درهم واحد، وكذلك نقول في الكفارات، فإذا كان عليه عتق رقبة، وعنده عشرة آلاف ريال، فإما أن يعتق الرقبة بعشرة الآلاف أو يحج، قلنا: لا تحج وأعتق الرقبة، الكفارة التي عليك؛ لأن وجوبها سبق وجوب الحج، والحج لا يجب إلا بالاستطاعة، ولا استطاعة لمن عليه دين في ذمته. الثاني: أشار إليه بقوله: والنَّفَقَاتِ الشَّرْعِيَّةِ والحَوَائِجِ الأَصْلِيةِ .............................. «والنفقات الشرعية»، أي: التي يقرها الشرع ويبيحها، كالنفقة له، ولعياله على وجه لا إسراف فيه، فإذا كان عنده عشرة آلاف ريال، إن حج بها نقصت النفقة، وإن أنفق تعذر الحج، فهل يحج ولو نقصت النفقة أو لا يحج؟ الجواب: لا يحج، ولكن المؤلف اشترط: أن تكون النفقات شرعية، فإن كانت غير شرعية وهي نفقة الإسراف، أو