Is it permissible for a person to give charity to the poor and the needy while his mother is in debt and struggling to repay it, and is it permissible to give her from the charity money to pay off her debt, or is it better to divide the charity between her and the poor and the needy, knowing that he is in dire need of the reward for charity?

It is permissible for a son to pay off his mother's debt from his Zakat money, provided that the Zakat is not used for her personal maintenance, as her maintenance is obligatory upon him. Giving Zakat to the mother in this case is better, as the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "Charity given to the poor is charity, and to a relative, it is two: charity and maintaining kinship ties." As for voluntary charity, it is permissible to give it to the mother to pay off her debt and fulfill her needs, and it is better than giving charity to others.