What is a Marja? And why should the Shi’a follow them? Isn’t the Prophet (pbuh) and his family (as) enough? Can I be Shi'a without following any Marja?

Prophet MuhammadMarja'Shi'a
What is a Marja? And why should the Shi’a follow them? Isn’t the Prophet (pbuh) and his family (as) enough? Can I be Shi'a without following any Marja?

Is working as an actuary in the insurance industry halal? And would there be a problem working as an actuary for a private corporation if their products are halal?

HalalCorporationActuaryInsurance
Is working as an actuary in the insurance industry halal? And would there be a problem working as an actuary for a private corporation if their products are halal?

Is there any way to determine those of Banu Umayyah and their supporters who are relied upon as narrators of hadith in Sahih Bukhari, Muslim and other Sunni books?

HadithSunniSahih BukhariSahih MuslimIlm al-RijalBanu Umayyah
Is there any way to determine those of Banu Umayyah and their supporters who are relied upon as narrators of hadith in Sahih Bukhari, Muslim and other Sunni books?

Will my four children sin if they only look after me instead of their father who I have divorced?

ChildrenSinFatherDivorce
Will my four children sin if they only look after me instead of their father who I have divorced?

Is it compulsory to cover your head during prayer?

HeadSalah (Prayers)
Is it compulsory to cover your head during prayer?

Are there any Islamic guidelines on how to establish a sense of self worth or self esteem so one does not feel worthless and inferior to others?

Self-Esteem
Are there any Islamic guidelines on how to establish a sense of self worth or self esteem so one does not feel worthless and inferior to others?

My step children bought their dad a new prayer mat, as a present for Father's Day, with the word 'Dad' embroidered on it. Is it allowed for him to pray on it?

ChildrenFatherPrayer Mat
My step children bought their dad a new prayer mat, as a present for Father's Day, with the word 'Dad' embroidered on it. Is it allowed for him to pray on it?

Meditation is normally seen as a Buddhist thing but is there any scope for it in Islam? How can we use it to gain a better relationship with our Creator, and is there anything we should definitely not do?

IslamMeditation
What is the permissibility/significance/method of meditation in Islam?

Meditation is normally seen as a Buddhist thing but is there any scope for meditation in Islam? Does it already exist, and if so, what is it called? How can we use this to gain a better understanding of Islam/our relationship with our Creator? Is there anything we should definitely NOT do?

Were Prophets predestined by God to be so, or were they chosen conditional on their own merit? And has it been possible for ordinary people to reach the level of Prophets? If not, how is that fair?

ProphetsGod (Allah)Predestination
Were Prophets predestined by God to be so, or were they chosen conditional on their own merit? And has it been possible for ordinary people to reach the level of Prophets? If not, how is that fair?

If the former, then can't the objection be brought up that those prophets were essentially predestined heaven (and therefore making Allah unjust in some way)? If the latter, then is it possible for ordinary people to reach the level of prophets? If this is not possible and if what makes prophets better than ordinary humans the fact that Allah has granted them wahy and knowledge, then is it fair ask why ordinary people don't also receive that same treatment as mentioned by 12:24 which would thereby guarantee them heaven and protection from sin? If the granting of wahy and knowledge is conditional upon someone having intelligence and purity, then is it a reasonable objection to say that intelligence is not a controllable factor? If intelligence is not a controllable thing, then can the same objection be brought up that most intelligent people who are granted prophethood are guaranteed heaven (thus making Allah unjust again) because their uncontrollable faculty of reasoning was why they were granted wahy which prevents them from sin? (That is, someone's uncontrollable circumstances has led them to have a higher capacity, and therefore they have a greater opportunity to reach a higher level of heaven than ordinary people).

Yes, but it is bette

Yes, but it is better if it can stay outside (such as in a dog house, if that is possible on your property; these days, they do have outdoor heaters for animals if that is a possibility).

I am sure you are familiar with the hadith saying that having a dog inside affects acceptance of prayers; Allah knows best. Of course, we are also supposed to be compassionate, and it is not compassionate to let it freeze to death! 

Yes you can interact with it and train it.

Yes, be sure to observe taharah for salat and any other necessary things such as dishes.