Aqaaid

Q: What is اثمد (dark brown powder). Someone told me that it is also like surma and it is Sunnah to put it.

Q:

1. How should we discard the papers/school books/note books having words written like Allah, Allah's names or ayahs etc.?

2. Which words need to be given respect and removed from before throwing away the books? Are the words Quran, Rasool, Nabi, Muhammad or any Surah's name to be discarded with respect?

3. If we burn them, can the ash be thrown anywhere?

Q: People in my area follow different imams and they claim that their act is correct and perfect than the other. They also say to me that you follow one imam only, reply to them that I will follow what is there is in Quran and sunnah (hadith-sahih + sanan+ other books-with references) irrespective of following one imam and making sects (as said in Quran" Vo ati ullaha Vo ati ur rasula") and they don't fluctuate w.r.t time as it is followed by prophet in times. Am I correct in this case of following Quran and hadith(also includes imams +sahaba+mufti+fuqaha) or following a single imam?

Q: A 15-year-old adult girl was misbehaving with her mother. The mother said to her (in Urdu), “Allah Ta'ala is watching you”. The daughter replied in a sarcastic tone (in Urdu), “Well! Allah Ta'ala is watching me! (Urdu: Acha! Allah mian mujhey daikh rahay hain!). Then the mother said (in Urdu): “Allah Ta'ala is listening”. The daughter replied again in a sarcastic tone (in Urdu): “Well! Allah Ta'ala is listening to me! (Urdu: Acha! Allah mian sun rahay hain!). The question is: is the ‘eman of this girl valid after saying these sentences? If the 'eman is invalid after saying these sentences, what is she supposed to do to revive her ‘eman? What about her salats, fardh Hajj, fardh fasting, etc.?

Q: Is it permissible to perform kheer puri niaz?

Q: Before I had an idea about not celebrating birthdays, but on my first birthday in university, I gave a treat thinking that to feed someone is good, but I don't know if it's correct or wrong! Now, my second birthday is about to come and I don't know what to do if they greet me on my birthday, Alhamdulillah this year it's Sunday (I'll be on leave) but what reply must I give to the messages and phone calls from people who greet me (as I don't want to celebrate/give a treat in the name of a birthday), could you please tell me?

Q: I was watching a religious show on TV, there was this Mufti who said that we should not offer salah behind a Deobandi since they say bad things about RasoolAllah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam). How should we reply to such people who say such things and are misguiding the innocent people and creating doubts in their hearts and minds regarding the Ulamas of Deoband?

Q: Is archery a sunnat practice for both men and women?

Q: I have heard that by feeding 60 people (friends/family), this action blesses a new business/home. Is this correct? Or do you know of any other Islamic ruling to support how to obtain blessing/ baraqa for a new business?

Q: I am 22 yrs old. I am in love with someone. I know this word doesn't have any meaning in our religion but I want to get married to him and my every salah includes this same dua. It is so happening these days that I came across 2 astrologers who predicted that I may not receive the life I wish. I completely do not want to believe in these things as I believe its all in the hands of Allah and its He who can do anything possible but these two incidents have disturbed be totally that I do not know what to do.