Hajj or Marriage
In the Name of Allah the Beneficient the Merciful
If a man needs to get married, and it will be too difficult for him to delay
that, then he should give marriage precedence over Hajj.
But if he does not need to get married, then he should give precedence to Hajj.
Ibn Qudaamah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in al-Mughni (5/12):
If he needs to get married and he fears that it will be too difficult for him
otherwise, then he should give priority to that, because it is obligatory for
him and he cannot do without it, so it becomes part of his essential spending.
But he has no such fears, then he should give priority to Hajj, because marriage
is voluntary and should not take precedence over Hajj which is obligatory.
See also al-Majmoo’ (7/71) by al-Nawawi.
Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) was asked:
Is it permissible to delay Hajj until after marriage for one who is able to do
it? That is because of the temptations both great and small that young men are
faced with these days.
He replied:
Undoubtedly marriage when one has a strong desire for it takes precedence over
Hajj, because if a man has a strong desire to get married, in his case marriage
is a necessity of life for him, and is like food and drink. Hence it is
permissible for the one who needs to get married and does not have money to be
given some of the zakaah funds in order to get married, just as a poor man may
be given food and clothing to cover his ‘awrah from the zakaah.
On this basis we say: If he needs to get married, then he should give marriage
precedence over Hajj, because Allaah has stated that one of the conditions of
Hajj being obligatory is that one is able to afford it. Allaah says
(interpretation of the meaning):
“And Hajj (pilgrimage to Makkah) to the House (Ka‘bah) is a duty that mankind
owes to Allaah, those who can afford the expenses (for one’s conveyance,
provision and residence)”
[Aal ‘Imraan 3:97]
But if he is a young man and it does not matter to him if he gets married this
year or next year, then he should give precedence for Hajj because marriage is
not a priority for him.
Fataawa Manaar al-Islam, 2/375.