What is the ruling of Sharia on Zina and what is the punishment for the unmarried man who commits this grave sin?
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.
The punishment for Zina (Adultery and extramarital relations) is the same for men and women: 100 lashes for the unmarried to be witnessed by a group of the believers. Definitely, this person has incurred the wrath of Allah; however, he must make repentance immediately, refrain from this grave sin, and seek Allah`s forgiveness. And Allah The Almighty Knows Best.
Is the `Iddah (waiting period) of the divorced effective from the time the divorce took place, or from the time of registering it at the court?
It is considered effective from the time the divorce took place, and not from the time of registering it at the court.
Does the deceased hear the supplications or recitations of those visiting his/her grave? And does making constant supplications for the deceased who didn`t adhere to performing the prescribed prayers ameliorate his/her affliction?
Praise be to Allah the Lord of the Worlds.
In principle, the dead hear the living since it has been rigorously authenticated that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) ordered the bodies of the idolaters slain in the Battle of Badr to be buried. He then approached them and called them one by one and said, “Have you found what your Lord promised to be true for we have found what our Lord promised us to be true.” ‘Umar asked him, “O messenger of God! Why do you speak to lifeless bodies?” The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) replied, “By the One Who has sent me with the truth! You do not hear my words better than they do except that they cannot respond.”{Related by Bukhari & Muslim}.
However, not all the deceased are in the same situation because Allah the Almighty says, "Before them is a Partition till the Day they are raised up."{Al-Mu`minun, 100}. Moreover, supplication reaches the deceased. And Allah knows best.
Who are the blood-relatives with whom kinship ties should be maintained?
Blood-relatives are those from the side of one`s father and mother: grandfathers, grandmothers, uncles, and aunts.
