Scholars of Islam add:

Ḥajj becomes obligatory upon an individual when they have enough money to leave their home, reach Makkah, as well as to cover costs of staying thereupon and returning home. He must possess enough expenditure to suffice for his family in his absence. The path to Makkah must also be peaceful and free from danger.^[1]

As soon as it becomes obligatory upon someone, they must perform ḥajj immediately. It is completely wrong to then say, “I’ll go next year”, “Let me sort my children’s wedding out first”, or “Let me focus on my business issues before I go.”  

Scholars further elucidate:

If ḥajj is obligatory upon someone, yet they delay it year after year with a variety of excuses, it shall remain obligatory even if they become poor thereafter. If struck with poverty, they must perform ḥajj by taking out a loan, the latter of which Allah shall arrange for them.^[2]

The bad outcome of not performing ḥajj

O those who love Allah’s Messenger! Despite it being obligatory, anybody who does not work towards performing ḥajj or does not perform it at all; such a person is in severe and detrimental loss. A Hadith mentions how a person who has the ability to perform ḥajj but does not do so risks losing his faith.

اللہُ اَکْبَر O those who love Allah’s Messenger! Think about how serious this warning is. Now, our beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم is Raḥmat li al-