Is it more virtuous to pay off outstanding government debts (such as electricity and water bills) or to give charity?

If one's money is insufficient to cover both electricity and water bills and voluntary charity, then the bills take precedence because they are a debt that must be paid, whereas voluntary charity is not obligatory. What is obligatory takes precedence over what is not obligatory. Al-Nawawi said: "Whoever has a debt, or has dependents whose maintenance is obligatory upon him, it is recommended for him not to give charity until he has fulfilled what is due from him." I (the author) say: The more correct view is that it is forbidden for him to give charity from what he needs for the maintenance of his dependents or for a debt that he does not expect to be able to pay off.