I have opted for the former at the expense of smooth and flowing sentences...

I have opted for the former at the expense of smooth and flowing sentences, and as a result, the reader will find that some of the sentences are stilted and unidiomatic. Regular brackets have been inserted to clarify the meaning of a sentence or to insert the Arabic term for the English equivalent. The square brackets are part of the original Arabic text. Also, a Glossary is appended at the end of the booklet to aid those who are unfamiliar with the Arabic terms.

I am deeply grateful to Syed Mohammad Ghassemi for the enormous help and assistance that he extended to me in translating this work. I also acknowledge my gratitude to Br. Khaleel Mohammed for reviewing the translation draft and offering pertinent suggestions for its revision. I extend my deep appreciation to Prof. Abdulaziz A. Sachedina who agreed to review this work and provide expert advise under short notice, in spite of his busy schedule and time constraints. Profound thanks to Prof.

Ali al-Oraibi of University of Bahrain for meticulously comparing the Arabic text with the translation draft for accuracy and fluency. Amendments that they proposed have been incorporated to enhance the quality of this work. Every effort has been made to be as precise and accurate as possible. As for any inadvertent errors in the translation that may have slipped by, I alone am responsible. The logo that appears is designed by Br. Azeem Ali Amir, and I extend to him my gratitude.

I trust that this work will be useful to those who are not literate in Arabic and are confronted with the contemporary issues that are dealt with in this booklet. It is also hoped that the work will be of benefit to the academic community in obtaining a Muslim jurist's perspective on modern ethical questions and dilemmas. wa bi-l-laahi-t-tawfiq, Hamid Mavani Montreal October 1996 / Jumada-l-Akhirah 1417 Previous…