Salam, My wife and I have been paying Zakaat every year. There many conflicting information... %? on Salary, Gold? and do we pay on same gold every year, my wife only have 2 small sets total worth 1k since we were married? Also we are in heavy dept. mortgage 235k, 2cars, personal loans approx 80k and credit cards approx 10k, and business loan 70k. We work and do business. What should be our priority dept or zakaat? And is it wrong to continue to pay zakaat when you are in so much debt? many say that we first should be debt free and if only mortgage is due or you are able to handle all of your debt should you pay zakaat...they actually say that it is haram to pay zakaat in these cases because you are not living according to Islam...debt free?

Please answer soon and advise if there is place to seek more knowledge in this matter.

Thanks & Salam

-- Munaf Patel (mun_p@hotmail.com), October 19, 2001