Is it permissible for me to pay off my deceased father's debts from my Zakat money?

Scholars have differed regarding paying off the deceased's debt from zakat. The Hanafis, Shafi'is, and Hanbalis (which is the madhhab) are of the opinion that it is not permissible, because Ahmad said: "The debt of the deceased is not paid from zakat, but the debt of the living is paid from it."

The Malikis, some Shafi'is (in another opinion), some Hanbalis (in a narration), and Ibn Taymiyyah (who adopted this view) are of the opinion that it is permissible, if the deceased did not leave behind assets to cover the debt and fulfilled the conditions of a debtor (gharim). Indeed, some of them held that the debt of the deceased is more deserving because its repayment is not hoped for.

The more preponderant opinion is the second one. Therefore, there is no harm in paying off the debt of a deceased father from zakat if he did not leave behind assets to cover it.