LONDON – Taking the decision to perform hajj this year, the new financial difficulties that befell British Muslim Asif Uddin did not hold him back from going ahead with his planned pilgrimage to Makkah.

“I have been going through some financial difficulties as a result of a big corporation making a small avoidable mistake that has cost me a couple of thousand pounds. This had an indirect consequence which resulted in other debts too,” he wrote in his story posted on IlmFeed.com on September 15.

“I had threatening calls, emails which even led to a court case that I eventually lost, though the judge was sympathetic. I was told to give up and cut my losses and just get over it, but I persisted.

“With all these debts looming over my head, I still decided to make Hajj this year. I made du’a that Allah relieve me of my debts and he make successful in this life and the hereafter.”

Completing his hajj, Uddin received the most unexpected news while waiting to board the plane back to London.

“I checked my emails and to my shock, one of the big corporations I was dealing with, decided to reimburse me in full!” he recalled.

He even got an offer from a friend who wanted to pay off his debt.

“How much is your debt? Is it £20,000, £10,000? Don’t worry, I’ll pay it all off for you!” his friend told him.

For Uddin, the pleasant surprise was the fulfillment of a promise by Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), who said:

“Keep on doing Hajj and ‘Umrah, for they eliminate poverty and sin just as the bellows eliminate impurities from iron, gold, and silver.” (Tirmidhi)

Muslims from around the world pour to Makkah every year to perform hajj, one of the five pillars of Islam.

Hajj consists of several rites, which are meant to symbolize the essential concepts of the Islamic faith, and to commemorate the trials of Prophet Abraham and his family, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon them.

Every able-bodied adult Muslim who can financially afford the trip must perform hajj at least once in a lifetime.