Our company offers 'umrah packages which clients pay for in installments through the bank. The bank pays the company and the client pays the company in installments. The price that a client pays the company is slightly higher than that which the bank pays it. Is this permissible?

It is established in Islamic law that owning the expenses of hajj or 'umrah (referred to in fiqh as having the expenses for provisions and transportation), is a condition for the obligation of hajj and not for its validity. This means that lacking these expenses at the time of hajj season, does not invalidate hajj; it only means that it is not an obligation if one does not have the expenses needed to undertake it, and, therefore, one is not blameworthy for not performing it at that time. However, it is required to complete the rites of hajj once one enters the state of ihram; hajj is then valid and its obligation is fulfilled. The same ruling applies to 'umrah.

The ruling

There is no legal objection to paying for hajj and 'umrah in installments. Similarly, there is no objection to the difference in price between what the bank pays the company and that which the company asks the client.