Is it incumbent on a family to provide for its old handicapped son and take care of him?
The family and relatives - e.g. brothers - of such a person are obliged to spend on him and take care of him if he didn`t have money of his own.
What is the ruling on working for a company that manufactures cigarettes?
All Perfect Praise is due to Allah, The Lord of The Worlds
Working for a company that manufactures cigarettes is forbidden because smoking itself is forbidden, so its production, selling and circulation are forbidden as a result since they aid in committing sin, and whoever aids in that is like the sinner himself. And Allah Knows Best.
What is the ruling on reciting verses from the Qur'an over water, drinking it, and using it to break magic spells, heal illnesses, or burn jinn?
There is no harm on reciting verses of the Holy Qur'an over water and use it for cure. And Allah Knows Best.
I am an author, and I have books stored with me. Is it permissible to pay my zakat in the form of books containing beneficial knowledge for poor students, such as chemistry and mathematics, or religious books that spread Islamic sciences?
Zakat on wealth must be paid in cash from the wealth itself. Therefore, you should pay your zakat in monetary form so that the poor can purchase what they need. And Allah Knows Best.