Various masaail of 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.

Q: Is it permissible for a husband to beat his wife? Men justify the beating by saying there is a hadith to say that hitting is permissible. If this hitting is not permissible, what will be the consequences in the akhirah?

Q: I would like to know about the rights of a wife in Islam.

Q: My brother wanted to know if it’s possible to take a small separation from his wife as they are going through a rough patch. It’s not a divorce, just a temporary separation. Is such a separation permissible according to Qur’an and Hadeeth?

Q: Most countries today have set the legal minimum age of marriage at 18 or higher. In light of the hadith commanding obedience to those in authority so long as it is not in disobedience to Allah, does this mean that we as Muslims are required to follow these laws regarding marriage age? What is the opinion of majority scholars?

Q: Id like to enquire, how often is the husband required to take his wife to visit her parents if they live in another city (500km away). 

Is there any requirement to the amount of days the wife should spend at her parents if it will be away from her husband?

Q: I would like to bring a matter under consideration regarding my husband, as he said that "he will challenge Allah". 

It all happened when I told him that I want to take separation from him and I mentioned that Allah has given me this right, to which he said no I can't and first he said I can bring any Ulamas I want he will send them all flying, they cannot interfere, I will challenge them all, to which I said okay no problem but Allah has given me this right. It's almost 10 years you can't look after me so I will go away myself and then he said "I will challenge Allah ". Listening to this I told him are you gone nuts what are you talking, you can't talk like this. He stood firm on his statement and after that I kept myself quiet, before he says something more bad. 

Just to mention, he was in his full senses, wasn't angry when the topic started. I keep Ulamas away as he has no respect, but please I want to know what to be done with this statement. 

Also his ibadaat is personal, I don't want to bring that in the picture, but want to mention he used to read fajar at the time of sunrise, which always caused a spark between us. He never use to listen. Now he no more reads, even on big nights and on Shabe Barah he told my son Asar time that books are already closed we don't need to make ibadat. I was completely shocked and explained to my son that we have to make ibadah till fajar. So I'm not sure what is his say in religious matters. 

Please I want to know what is the way forward with it.

Q: I'm a revert Muslim and need an answer to my question. 

If a couple made nikaah and after a year whilst being in nikaah the wife gets married in civil marriage to another man and holds the man's surname, does the nikah still have value, but she did this without her husband's consent?