Is it permissible for a woman to shake hands with her brother-in-law?
It is forbidden for the woman to shake hands with her brother-in-law because he isn`t a Mahram (unmarriageable) of hers.
When the soul leaves the body, does it hear and see? And where does the soul go?
The important thing is that the soul departs while its owner is a believing, repentant Muslim, as this is a good ending. As for the details, they are lengthy. The grave is either a garden from the gardens of Paradise or a pit from the pits of Hellfire. And Allah The Almighty Knows Best.
What`s the ruling on using the following materials in manufacturing cosmetics: olive oil, Vaseline, talc powder, glycerin, honey, almond oil, pine oil, galingale and marjoram?
All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of The Worlds, and may His peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Mohammad and upon all his family and companions. None of the above materials is forbidden, and it`s lawful to use them in manufacturing products that are beneficial to people. This is because, in principle, all things are lawful so long as there is no evidence in Sharia indicating otherwise. And Allah Knows Best.
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.