Paying a deceased person's debts with zakaat money

Question ID: 
313
zeb*** asks:

Question

If a deceased person had unpaid debts.is it possible for his parent to take zakat money to pay the debts?the parents don't give zakat as they don't have nisaab amount

Answer

Zakaat money cannot be used to reimburse a deceased person's debts, as it is essential for the zakaat to be fulfilled that it comes in the possession of somebody who is eligible to take zakaat. A deceased person does not have the ability to be an owner. However the deceased poor relatives can receive zakaat on their own behalf and then pay off the debts of the deceased person.