Q: What is the ruling regarding umrah in the month of Shawwaal? If anyone makes umrah in this month what will happen?

Q: My father met my mother when she had two children from a previous marriage. My mother passed away 35 years ago. My father father bought a house 20 years after my mother passed away. Can his step children inherit?

Q: Males are seated on one side of a hall and females are seated on another. The tables are arranged such that the backs of the males are facing the backs of the females. There is a distance of four meters between the two. There is no curtain or anything separating the two sides. At any time one can look behind and see ghair mahrams. Both sides can also hear the voices of the other. Prominent Moulana's attend gatherings set-up like this with their wives. The organisers say that since they are separated and no one is forced to look at the other and also that talking to the other side is not possible, it is alright. Is this set up permissible? Please comment.

Q: My bother passed away and his five kids and widow are in my supervision. Even though I am a lady but Alhamdulillah I did my best. Alhamdulillah now my brothers property problem is also solved and Alhamdulillah they received some money. They are not capable of handling this amount. No one in relatives are responsible enough to keep this Amanath for them. And may Allah Ta'ala forgive me I don't trust anyone for their money. I don't want to keep it in the bank and collect interest on their money. So with several god fearing peoples advise I invested their money in a certain brothers clothes store. He said for every 1 Lakh Rs he will give 1 thousand as profit. He said he can give more than that because he is saving lot more in interest. He said he will fix this minimum amount. And Allah forbid if in case he has loss in his business he will sell his house and give the money back to us. I got everything in writing for my brothers widow and her children's name. Alhamdulillah this brother himself is a very pious person. And spends lots of his time besides business in Dawah work. So mufti sahib please advise me if I did it right?

Q: During Ramdhaan in the Haramain both at Makkah and Madinah they conduct Tahajjud namaaz in Jamaath during the last 10 days from 1 am to 2.30 am. Following this now a days the same method is being followed in mosques in our country (India) as well and also women participate in this congregation but of course in a enclosure segregated for women. Also now a days women attend Jummah namaaz in mosques on a regular basis. Please give your expert option on these two issues.