Question: Given the sudden increase in hajj expenses and the demand for additional amount by the Saudi government, is it obligatory for a person who had hajj expenses and registered for this year to pay the new fee or can he cancel it?

Answer: If hajj has been established for him to be obligatory during previous year/s, he must provide and pay the new amount at any rate. If he has become able to pay for hajj this year and can afford to pay the above-mentioned additional amount (in addition to the necessities of life and what he needs to pay for his livelihood as per his station), he is considered mustaṭī‘, must pay it and go for hajj. Otherwise, he is not mustaṭī‘, hajj is not obligatory for him and he can cancel his going for hajj. If he can borrow and then pay off his debt easily, it is not obligatory for him to make himself mustaṭī‘ by borrowing. Yet, if he borrows, hajj becomes obligatory for him.