Is it permissible for children to pay the zakat on money and gold on behalf of their sick, bedridden mother, without her knowledge, after she has fallen short in paying it for years?

It is not permissible to pay the Zakat (definition) on a mother's wealth without her permission if she is of sound mind, because Zakat is an act of worship that requires intention (niyyah (definition)). She must be asked if she has paid the Zakat, and if she has not, she should be advised to hasten to pay it and to repent. However, if the mother has lost her sanity, her guardian should pay the Zakat on her behalf, and the guardian's intention takes the place of hers. Zakat is not obligatory on a woman's jewelry intended for adornment, according to the majority of scholars.