Question :

Some of the company’s clients who are late in paying the debts they owe to the company (3 months or more) wish to perform Hajj this year, They contacted us, asking permission, asking us to postpone our claim to them for the late installments they owe. Since the company does not have a system for deferring payment, Is there anything wrong with us not to forgive them?
Is it permissible for us to send letters to all clients who are in arrears in payment, in which we mention to them the Islamic ruling on this matter? And that it is not permissible for them to perform Hajj before paying the debts they owe?

Answer :

The jurists decided that Hajj is not obligatory for one who owes a debt that consumes his money. Because fulfilling the debt is one of the basic human needs. Whether the religion is for humans or for the right of God Almighty, As zakat owed by a person who has not paid it – as the jurists have decided that it is permissible for a creditor who has dissolved his debt to prevent the debtor from going out for Hajj unless he has paid the debt, Likewise, the one who owes a deferred debt that is due in his absence must entrust someone else to pay it off when it becomes due.

Based on this, there is no objection to the management of the company not allowing the debtors if they want to perform Hajj before paying off their debts due to the company or due to them in their absence, and they did not delegate others to pay them when they became due. Rather, the company’s management should strive hard to collect money from them. There is nothing wrong with sending reminder letters with this content to customers to urge them to pay before the Hajj, and this ruling applies to anyone who wants to travel outside the country for tourism or otherwise.