Q: Is it correct for a non Aalim to begin a bayaan with a khutbah quoting Quran and hadith?

Q: I really love reading your lectures and I am a recent convert. Allah has made me and gave me various talents and I thank him for his gifts. Few of the talents are painting, singing and writing. In short, I love arts. Why will Allah give me such talents and then tell me not to exercise them since all the three things I mentioned above is Haram. By music, I mean classical music and not the modern music. Please clear my doubt.

Q: I wrote a poem describing a scene of nature that I submitted to a large (non-Muslim) poetry competition. I came second place and have won R500. My poem will also be published in a poetry collection that will be distributed. There was no entrance fee for this competition. (1) Is the money I have won permissible? (2) Is it correct for me to get into these things - albeit not seriously and only occasionally - for perhaps some part-time income etc.? This would include writing poems, short essays, descriptive passages on nature, the rain, the environment, the effects of pollution and similar topics. Maybe these topics have some Deeni benefit and are not futile. I do not know. I think I am quite good in writing on these things as well. Please help me and correct my understanding.

Q: I am a Pakistani and currently residing in Europe since many years. I used to have beard but started trimming it slowly and now I shaved it completely. I did because my nafs was no more supporting me to keep it as I stopped doing salaat (prayers), and I used to do other major sins, zina, friendship with girls, drinking, etc with beard face. I started feeling that my beard is just by name and to show to others that I am a very neat and clean Muslim. Important thing is that when I used to do any sin with beard it also gives bad name to muslims in society. That is also correct that beard was a way in my freedom to do these sins. Now my friends asking me that you was better with beard but they don't know the reality but Allah knows my reality. Although it is true that not making salaat, shaving beard, and doing other sins is very bad and leading to Jahannum. My questions are 1) Should I start growing beard again when I am not performing salaah and doing other sins in society e.g. friendship with girls, zina, not protecting the gaze. 2) Is there any difference in the level of sin when doing it clean shaven and keeping the beard less than a fist? 3) Should I just keep a beard to make my friends happy again? 4) Should I make myself correct in terms of compulsory commandments (Salaat), stop doing sins, and then I should keep a beard or the other way around (vice versa). Please help me in this situation as I am very worried about it.

Q: I suffer from extreme ocd. My brother is blessed with a baby boy. The family put his nappy in the toilet bin. Does the bin became impure?