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.
What is the Islamic ruling on adoption, and what is the legal window through which a person can be kind to an orphan girl, attend to her needs and raise her as his own?
Kindness to an orphan entails a great reward from Allah, but adoption is prohibited and invalid. Therefore, it is permissible for the aforementioned person (for example) to make his brother`s wife breastfeed that girl so that he becomes her uncle by suckling provided that he informs her that she isn`t his biological daughter.
Is it permissible for a woman to leave her house wearing brightly colored clothing?
Brightly colored clothing is of woman's adornments, however; and this shouldn't be revealed save to her husband and Mahrams. And Allah Knows Best.
What is the ruling on a woman driving a car?
All Perfect Praise is to Allah, The Lord of The Worlds, and may His Peace and Blessinsg be upn our Prophet Muhammad and upon all of his family and compnions.
It is permissible for the woman to drive a car, but it is impermissible for her to travel unaccompanied by a Mahram (Unmarriageable kin). And Allah The Exalted Knows Best.