Aqaaid

Which mazhab should one follow?

Q: My question is regarding which madhab to follow? Growing up I was told that I am a Shafee. My mother is a Hanafi and I have only been trained in the Hanafi Madhab. We also live in South Africa which is a majority Hanafi country. Kindly advise on how should I proceed with my religious obligations?

Associating with shias

Q: Many of my muslim friends say that you can't eat at a shias house but I believe as long as they are muslims and share the kalima, there is nothing wrong as long as it is within the halaal limits. Kindly clarify because i have many ithn ashari friends and wouldn't like to cross Allah's hukum.

Accepting Islam and changing one's name

Q: I am looking at converting to Islam and have several questions. Is my name permissible, or should I change it due to it having un-Islamic meanings? Todd means fox, dog, clever or wily (intending to be deceitful), and Christopher means Christ-bearer. My next question is hair on men, my hair is long, it is past my shoulders but is neat and kept clean, am I commanded to cut it or shave it if I convert? Also, what is the rule on piercings, I have several. My last question is I still am researching and trying to clear doubts, should I take my Shahadah now or wait and clear my doubts first and say it with a clear mind, and is it better to say it in private or in public like a mosque?

Studying through correspondence

Q: I have recently finished hifz in a boarding Madrasah and now I am doing full time aalim class local. I am finding it very different to maintain my hifz I tried to go back boarding madrasah but my heart weren't there. So I came back to my alim class locally but now I feel like going college im 19 I was thinking about how I will make a living in the future can you give me some advice.

Burying an old frame

Q: I have a wall frame with Arabic surah written in it and it has gone really old it is beyond repair and can not give it to anyone if I do the other person will not hang it on a wall in his house. How can I dispose of the frame?

Behishti zewar

Q: Is there any comprehensive book for women in English? Like in Urdu We have *Tauhfa Khawateen* by Moulana Ashiq Ilahi Buland Shahri. Kindly Guide me about the Author & the Book in English.