Chatting with one's potential spouse before nikaah

Q: Some things are decreed by Allah in which a person has no choice like death and the time of death, but in the case of marriage, a person has a choice in whom he/she chooses as a spouse. Since the person we choose to marry is one of the things which is not predestined/not predetermined by Allah (not to be confused with unknown to Allah for He certainly knows who we will choose with our free will), why are we limiting ourselves by not engaging and chatting to non-mahrams within limits? 

I would have definitely not met and subsequently not married my now spouse had we not engaged and chat to each other. So since the person we marry is not influenced by Allah and is 100% all down to our choosing, why can't we date and interact with people with the intention of nikaah? This is certainly taking means and not being passive.

Zakaat on ingredients found in the home when doing home industry

Q: Consider a home business... Now and then I bake and sell some cakes etc. Please advise on zakaat. I don't have "stock" on hand...I only have ingredients, the product I am selling needs to be "made". 

1.Can I pay zakaat from my cash earnings only or do I have to calculate the value of any of my ingredients and pay as well? 

2. If I also have to pay on the value of any ingredients, how do I go about it? It will be very hard to calculate as I use these ingredients for my normal household use as well, it is only some of it that is used in the cakes I will sell.

Disposing of an English copy of the Quraan Majeed with only translation in it

Q: Please clarify for me, with regards to an English copy of the Quraan (translation only, no Arabic) Mufti had replied; 

1. There is consensus among leading ulama that the Quraan without the original text is impermissible and not at all correct. The right thing is to not use such a translation which does not have the original Arabic text. 

My question is, should I dispose of this copy of the Quraan? Can it be burnt? 

2. How do I dispose of Islamic writings and duas that have become yellowed with time?