What is the ruling on having brotherly ties between a strange man and a strange woman, and is the former considered a Mahram(unmarriageable) to the latter?

Such a relation between a strange man and a strange woman is forbidden in Islam because it involves forbidding what Allah has allowed by marriage, and allowing what Allah has forbidden such as looking and the like. Such a relation doesn`t render any act lawful between them, thus they are forbidden to look at each other, have a Khulwah(seclusion), and travel together.

Are dream interpretation books accurate?

What is the ruling on singing and listening to it while accompanied and unaccompanied by musical instruments?

Singing and listening to it unaccompanied by musical instruments is permissible as long as it isn`t practiced as a profession and is done by a man to other men, or a woman to other women with maintaining that no temptations are involved. The words of the song should be Islamic, and if temptation was likely to happen, then the singing becomes definitely forbidden. Temptation here means: whatever leads to committing a sin. In Islamic Sharia, singing accompanied by musical instruments such as the lute and the like is forbidden, and listening to it as well. The reason behind that is the fact that the musical instrument itself is forbidden. However, striking the tambourine and singing Islamic songs are permissible in weddings, circumcisions and the like.

I`m a cashier at a branch of the Civil Service Consumer Corporation. Sometimes, customers pay more than the due amount. Do I have the right to take that extra money knowing that I cover shortages from my own salary?