Zikr

Reading Aayat-e-Kareemah

Q: Can I read Aayate Kareema (Prophet Yunus alaihis salaam's dua) everyday 1000 times? 

Can I count it as Istighfaar or Tauba or both? If yes then do I need to do the istighfaar separately or the above 1000 times Aayate Kareema daily is istighfaar as well. 

Does reading Aayate Kareema need ijaazat/permission from any Shaikh, Aalim or Mufti?

Making zikr while playing games

Q: 

1. Is it permissible to play Roblox while doing dhikr in one's mind to avoid wasting time? Though at times one may forget to do so. Some aspects of the game include: 

• Free mixing. Avoidable, though a non mahram may approach. 
• Clothing (for the characters) that are inappropriate in front of non mahrams. Avoidable. 
• Players using heads and faces (can lead to exposing images of animate beings from one's device.) 
• Games that include impermissible aspects. Avoidable. 

So, the Haram aspects can be avoided In shaa Allah, but other players can engage in it. 

Also, the game consists of a variety of other games (exploration games, designing outfits, maybe riddles or the like etc.). 

2. Is it permissible to replace the head using some other object like a watch, flower, planets etc. as long as it doesn't have a face or isn't the head of an animal or person? 

3. If a non mahram approaches me and I leave the game soon/quickly afterwards without saying anything, is it permissible?

Frequently reciting "Bismillah"

Q: As in a Hadith it is recommended to "start" any task with "Bismillah". So I want to ask if one says "Bismillah" frequently not only in the start of any task but in the middle or end as well. Or if one makes it his/her frequent zikr even without any task. Is it allowed and benefiting for a Muslim or it is an an addition to the sunnah?

Zikr in a gathering

Q: I have a question regarding Halqah Thikr and loud congregational thikr. Recently I have heard reports from many Ulama that this action is not an ibadah but a bid'ah. They cite the incident of Abdullah ibn Masud (RadhiAllahu Anhu) and the dhikr majlis (which I'm sure Mufti Saheb is familiar with) as proof for their claim. Is this claim true? That the Halqah Thikr is a bid'ah.