Q: When a recording like the voicemail on a telephone has a taped salaam, does one need to reply?

Q: I saw a video on youtube when searching for info about the book ''shams ul maarif''. I think the person in the video claims that he is moving bottles with the help of the instructions from the book of shams ul maarif with a jinn? What do the ulama say about this book? I saw that there is a fatwa of Shaykh Ibn Jibrin about this book.

Q: If a Muslim or Muslimah has contracted an S.T.D. for which a cure has not been found, than what is the Islamic verdict on them when it comes to marriage? Are they totally banned from getting married?

Q: Is it possible that certain people can take jinns under their command, and inquire by means of them information about what certain individual is doing miles away from that person?

Q: At my work place, we sell airtime from machines. Because of the very low profit margin, my employer wants to, for example, sell the R5 at R6 and increase the other denominations accordingly. Will this be permissible according to Shari’ah?

Q: A certain person owns a business and is the landlord at the same time. He decides to sell the business and lease out the property to the person who bought his business. The bank is loaning the buyer the money to purchase the business. The bank requests that the seller of the business (who is also the landlord) sign a document in which he agrees that if the purchaser of the business defaults, then the bank has the right to take over the lease (in other words, they will continue to pay the landlord rent until they find someone to purchase the business from them).

Is it permissible for the seller of the business to sign this agreement with the bank?

Q: I have read about how Hazrat Bilal (Radiyallahu Anhu) was tortured. I have read that he was tortured by:

1. Made to lie on hot desert sand.
2. Thrown into boiling water.
3. Dragged through the streets with ropes. 

Are these three types of torture proven from authentic ahadith? What other ways do the Ahadith mention about how Hazrat Bilal (Radiyallhu Anhu) was tortured?

Q: Is it permissible to eat in a restaurant where alcohol is served or allowed? Will the same rule apply to a supermarket or aeroplane that sells alcohol?

Q: Is there anything wrong with wearing a black topi?

Q: The pearl of shelled mullosk animals, is it pure? Some creams have pearl powder in them, can they be used?