Nikaah & Marriage Issues

Q: I want to marry a second wife, do I need permission from my first wife?

Q: My husband and I did our nikah with the consent and presence of my family. But his family was not involved, neither informed about it since they were not in favor of the nikah. It's been a year now. My husband's family know about the nikah but to this day there has been no rukhsati or waleemah. Can waleema be done now?

Q: Nabi (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam), in his waleemah in his marriage to Zainab bint Jahsh (Radhiyallahu Anha) spent extra on the waleemah, fed meat etc.

Can it thus be said that having a big waleemah is sunnat, (without breaking any laws of sharee'at etc) just like having a small and simple one is found in the hadith to be the most blessed.

Q: I'm getting married in June Insha-Allah. When my parents were discussing the mahr, I kept a request in front of my in laws and my husband that instead of money I wanted to be gifted with a Surah from the Quran which will hold a value of living a good life after marriage and adding barakah to our life. So me and my husband will be memorizing it. Is it a valid point?

Q: In a nikah ceremony for a new Muslim couple, one male adult wakeel on behalf of bride and another male adult witness were present. Is the nikah for both valid. Later this nikah was register in a madressa with a mufti.

Q: I am married and by mistake had an affair with a guy. Now I am pregnant and that guy forces me to continue the relationship otherwise he will claim for that baby from me. Please tell me what should I do now. Here I need to clear that I am not sure that the baby is from that guy or from my husband. I seek forgivness of Allah for the sin and I pray to Allah that the baby belongs to my husband. Please help me in this issue.

Q: Will I be called homosexual if I only have thoughts of homosexuality but I am a normal man. I will never go close to it insha Allah. I hate it tooo and know that it is haram but I cannot get rid of these thoughts. What should I do?

Q: What is the shar'i perspective with regards to putting specifically black beads on the hand of a new born baby or small knives etc. in order to protect the child from any form of evil.

Also, what would be the best method to protect the child from forms of evil etc when the child is born.

Q: Can you let me know in Islam if a nikaah is only valid if it is performed by an imam and if there are witnesses present? Or is the nikaah valid without being performed by an imam and without witnesses or can the couple perform nikaah themselves?

Q: Is it necessary for a man to seek permission or even to bring to the notice of his first wife about his second marriage? I know its after effects but I just want to know as per shariah if it is necessary or required?