Is it incumbent on a wife whose husband hasn`t gone to bed with her (for sexual intercourse) for many years to observe `Iddah (waiting period) upon his death?
All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of The Worlds, and may His Peace and Blessings be upon our Prophet Muhmmad and upon all of his family and companions.
Upon the death of the husband, a wife is obliged to observe the `Iddah even if he hadn`t slept with her because she inherits him. And Allah Knows Best.
Is it permissible for a woman to pluck her eyebrows, or to shave them and have a tattoo in their place?
It is forbidden for a woman to pluck her eyebrows, or to shave them and have a tattoo in their place since this is called (Nums), and the Prophet (PBUH) has cursed those who do it.
What is the ruling on smoking?
All Perfect Praise is due to Allah, The Lord of The Worlds
Smoking is forbidden (Haram) since it is harmful to one`s health as confirmed by trustful physicians, and Islam has forbidden taking anything that causes harm. The Prophet (PBUH) said: "There should be neither harm nor reciprocated harm." [Ibn Majah and Ahmad]. And Allah Knows Best.
Is it permissible for the woman who is observing Iddah after the death of her husband to exchange calls with her relatives and husband`s family call?
All perfect praise be to Allah the Lord of the Worlds. May His peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Mohammad and upon all his family and companions.
It is permissible for the woman who is observing Iddah* after death of husband to exchange calls with them; however, when she speaks to non-Mahrams , she shouldn`t be soft of speech and she should be straight to the point. This because Almighty Allah Says (What means): "O ye wives of the Prophet! Ye are not like any other women. If ye keep your duty (to Allah), then be not soft of speech, lest he in whose heart is a disease aspire (to you), but utter customary speech." [Al-Ahzaab/32]. And Allah The Almighty Knows Best.
[1] The iddah is a waiting period that a Muslim woman observes after the death of her husband or after a divorce. The Quran says: For those men who die amongst you and leave behind wives, they (the wives) must confine themselves (spend iddah) for four months and ten days.