Eid gifts

Q: My family in the recent years have developed this habit of distributing eid gifts amongst the entire family. Whilst it is totally permissable and sunnah to exchange gifts, the family gathers together and each gift is opened and ooohs an ahhhs are shared.

My concern is this practice may mimic the Kuffar when done on the festive days and secondly with every passing year the gifts somehow need to become more elaborate than the year before since it is presented in a formal gathering of the entire family being present.

Can Mufti saheb please provide some direction of how this sunnah should be practiced when presenting a gift and should this existing practice be kept or done away with?

Keeping a beard more than a fist length

Q: My question is regarding cutting beard when it reaches length of one fist.

I have noticed there are scholars who say one should leave the beard and not cut it at all because there is no proper evidence. They say that the hadith of Umar (radhiyallahu anhu) tells about cutting the beard during hajj or umrah only. So that means that we cannot cut the beard during any other time. They also say that according to one hadith narrated by Abu Hurairah (radhiyallahu anhu), Nabi Muhammad (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said to cut the beard and leave the beard, i.e. don't touch the beard.

While there are scholars who say that Imam Ahmed (rahimahullah) used to cut the beard when it reached the length of one fist and also gives proof of other righteous predecessors. So, is there any evidence that Umar (radhiyallahu anhu) used to cut his beard other than hajj or umrah and other Taabioon or 4 great Imaams did it? 

Using work facilities for one's personal work

Q: I have made my bio-data, salary voucher, experience letter, etc., in my previous office without taking permission from my boss. I have used the office printer, computer, internet, paper and other things for printing these documents. While doing this, I was aware that it might be haraam.

Can I use these documents for any interviews, jobs or even any other work in future? If I do so, will my job and the income from this job be halaal or haraam? What should I do? 

Recruiting agencies charging fees

Q: Can we do a job in which we get employed through recruiting offices/agencies who take some commission (usually some percent from their first salary) from the candidates they employ and the company whom they recruit these candidates. Sometimes they take commission from the company only and keep totally free from the candidates, they do not take commission from the candidates.

In both the above scenarios, will the job for the candidates be haraam? Will the income, etc or anything be haraam? Will it be a sin? And what if they take fees and not commission from the candidates and may take commission from the company then what will be the answer? It's not impossible but it is quite difficult to find jobs without the help of recruiting agencies/companies. 

Repenting after earning haraam livelihood

Q: If a man who has earned his living through illicit ways not permitted in Islam as recorded in the renowned personals, including but not limited to accepting and soliciting bribes, misappropriation of public fund etc. during his entire period of service repents sincerely after he retires from Govt. service, would he be accepted by Allah, especially if he uses his ill gotten gains to sustain himself and perform all necessaries afterwards? Does the same logic apply to robbery and trickery, money lending with interest, sale of narcotics, etc.? Is wealth amassed in such a way even if one turns over a new leaf?

Dua for shifa

Q: A schizophrenia patient is refusing to go to the doctor and take medicines despite convincing him so many times. It is really horrible to see his condition and his parents are worried for so many years. Can you please let me know if there is any dua (which can be blown on water and given to the patient) which can make the patient go to the doctor and take medicines.