Weighing items after purchase

Q: I have recently heard that in order for the sale of meat/fruit/ items sold by weight to be halaal the buyer either has to be present to see the item being weighed or has to ask for R200 worth of mutton instead of 1 kg of mutton. I order my meat from a butcher telephonically and order by weight as I am generally aware of the meat prices. This is then delivered to my house and later paid for. In this instance is the meat halaal as I have been told it is haraam?

Concealing one's past

Q: How much of my past must I tell to any potential bride? I am wife hunting and have had a colorful past to say the least. Potential wives have been asking about my past. I am sure that they would not want to have anything to do with me if I told all. Even though I am now a reformed person and trying to increase my understanding of Deen. So I thought what is appropriate in Islam in this situation.

Trimming the beard to get a job

Q: My family's financial condition is very severe nowadays. And here in India, I'm not getting a job anywhere in the companies because of my beard in spite of being highly qualified. My parents have some how gathered up money and also through a relatives' link have got me a job in U.S. And as I have to appear for visa interview, my parents have said me to trim the beard to less than a fistful length just for the visa interview and not to cut the beard afterwards as after reaching there it isn't going to be a problem inshallah. They're very sceptical that if I appear the visa interview without trimming, the interviewer might presume me to be a "radical Islamic fundamentalist" and reject me. And all the last pennies invested on me will turn to zilch. Also there isn't much hope here in India to get a job as I have tried to get one since last 3 years. Considering my financial condition, will it be allowed for me to trim my beard to less than a fistful length just for this occasion? Even I'm very reluctant to do it but my financial condition and the state of my family is such that I'm forced to entertain such vile ideas. Please advise me.

Loyalty rewards and points

Q: A company where I shop at has given me a loyalty/rewards card whereby I earn points for products I buy and I can then use these points to buy other products. In other words these points are used to buy the products instead of cash. Is this permissible?

The branches of Imaan

Q:

(1) There is a hadith in Muntakhab Ahadees book which mentions 70 branches of faith (Emaan). What are those 70 branches of faith which Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) has taught?

(2) In Fazail a A'amal, it is mentioned in Fazail a Namaz that there are 70 benefits of using Miswak. What are those 70 benefits of miswak?

Inheritance

Q: Need assistance regarding inheritance. Wife passed on couple days ago had R 164,000.00. I was told by the local Imam that 2.5% is zakaat, 1/3 for any fast missed in her life time the max amount, me the husband R 27,000.00 the son R 54,000.00 and the Daughter R 27,000.00 and R51,000.00 for grand children + islamic liabilities. Is the calculations correct please advise.