What is the ruling of Sharia regarding the extent of my responsibility for usurious debts accumulated by the family business during my participation in it, and am I considered involved in usury despite my attempts to avoid it? And what is the ruling on Zakat for my wife's and mother's gold, and for my personal money, given the numerous debts and the insufficiency of funds to repay them?

First: It is not permissible to engage in usurious transactions, even if the father orders it, due to the saying of the Prophet, peace be upon him: «There is no obedience to a creature in disobedience to Allah, the Almighty.» You are only responsible for the usurious transactions in which you participated, and you are obliged to repent sincerely and resolve not to return to them.

Second: Zakat (definition) is not obligatory on cars or houses if they are not trade goods, due to the saying of the Prophet, peace be upon him: «There is no sadaqah [charity/zakat] on a Muslim's slave or horse.»

Third: If the jewelry is owned by the woman, you or your father have no right to it, and your father is not permitted to reclaim it even if he bought it with his own money. However, if the jewelry is still owned by the father and he lent it to the woman, it must be sold to pay off debts, due to the saying of the Prophet, peace be upon him: «Delaying payment by a rich person is injustice.»

Fourth: Zakat on jewelry is obligatory on its owner if it reaches the nisab (definition) (eighty-five grams of gold), whether it is for adornment or otherwise. If the wife does not possess any money other than the jewelry and zakat becomes obligatory on it, she must sell a portion of it to give out the zakat. It is permissible for the wife and mother to pay zakat to the father to settle his debt; indeed, it is preferable.