Is it obligatory for a wife who has been abandoned for many years to observe the waiting period (iddah) after her husband passes away?
If her husband passes away, the wife is required to observe the waiting period (Iddah), even if he had abandoned her, because she is his wife and inherits from him, so she must observe the iddah after his death. And Allah Knows Best.
Is it permissible to combine and shorten prayers at home before traveling?
It is impermissible to combine and shorten prayers at home before traveling because a person is called a traveler once he/she departs the borders of his/her country, and offering prayer that way was originally intended to exempt a traveler. And Allah Knows Best.
What is the ruling on the mother who resorts to practitioners of witchcraft to make her son hate his wife?
All perfect 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.
What she is doing is forbidden and amongst the seven destructive sins. Hence, she must make repentance, seek forgiveness from Allah, regret what she has done and adhere to the teachings of Sharia. And Allah The Almighty Knows Best..
Is Making up Missed Obligatory Prayers an Obligation?
All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of The Worlds, and may His peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon all of his family and companions.
Missed obligatory prayer/prayers is a debt upon Muslim and making it up is an obligation, since the Prophet (PBUH) said: "pay the debt due to God, for it is the one which most deserves to be paid." [Agreed upon]. And Allah Knows Best.