Q: Is it permissible to apply for a bursary at a bank? E.g. Old Mutual.

Q: I would like to know from which point on the face should the beard be grown to a fist length. Example, should it start from the top of ear, or from under the earlobe, or mid ear etc. Also, is keeping the beard to a fist length fardh or sunnah?

Q: Is it permissible to have banks and ATM's as tenants. Is the money from earned/received from these tenants Halaal?

Q: I wish to inquire about the scalding process at the chicken factories. The slaughtered chickens are immersed whilst still bleeding with the intestines, impurities etc into a hot water tank for softening the feathers etc, this water is filthy and some of the impurities are possibly absorbed into the flesh. approx 500 to 700 birds at any point in time with all the impurities etc could be in this hot water at any point in time, where it remains for approx 5min. how does this process affect the status of the meat? does the meat remain halaal or does it become makrooh or haraam for Muslim consumption?

Q: I am an art student, am I allowed to draw figures like batman, judge dredd, Michael Jackson, etc whose eyes are covered by a mask or a hat? Can I draw the mouth, ears, nose, etc as long as I don't draw the eyes?

Is the probition in Islam only about drawing eyes? Am I allowed to draw skulls which have empty eye sockets?

Q: I work in a company that deals with architecture, construction, design of buildings, etc.

1. If the client who is not a Muslim, asks one to include a room for prayers in the plan, is it permissible?

2. Is a contract for a haraam business e.g. a night club, bar, etc. permissible?

3. If one is aware that the person is going to do haraam in the building, is it still permissible?

Q: Sending Baaligh Muslim girls to other schools for quizzes, science fairs, debates etc. with the school bus accompanied by female staff members.

Q: Kindly advise us regarding on the following issues when they are done / used for educational purposes:

1. Using text books or magazines, posters or any such literature which has animated pictures in them.
2. Using caricature (cartoon) type of pictures when making a syllabus, specifically when we want to use them in preparing our own Arabic language syllabus. 

Q: I would like to know whether the usage of skype to talk to my relatives abroad is permissible or not? Will it fall under picture making? Skype is live streaming?

Q: I have a query regarding rings for men; I know that it has to be silver but I was made aware of the following hadith today:

It was narrated from ‘Abd-Allah ibn Buraydah from his father (may Allah be pleased with them both) that a man came to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and he was wearing a ring of gold. He said: “Why do I detect the stench of idols on you?” So he threw it away. Then he came and he was wearing a ring of iron, and he said: “Why do I see you wearing the jewellery of the people of Hell?” So he threw it away. He said: O Messenger of Allah, of what should I wear (a ring)? He said: “Wear (a ring) of silver, but no more than a mithqaal (a measure of weight).” Narrated by Abu Dawood, al-Tirmidhi and al-Nasaa’i.

Does this mean that the ring cannot exceed the weight of a mithqal (approx. 4.25grams) of silver at all or is it just preferable that it be that weight because according to what I heard Nabi (SAW)'s ring weighed that much.