it would be better; if such-and-such were added it would be more desirable; if this were moved forward it would be preferable; and if that were omitted it would be more elegant. This is one of the greatest lessons, and it shows that deficiency prevails over the entire human race.”

The very same occurred with me in preparing this edition, so I set about rectifying matters:

First: I corrected the typographical errors that had slipped into the earlier printings.

Second: I introduced numerous important additions and precious juristic insights that clearly distinguish this edition from the one before it.

Third: I expanded the documentation of most of the hadiths and gave fuller verification of their respective grades.

Fourth: I greatly augmented the explanation of individual terms from linguistic, morphological, syntactic, and technical perspectives, and identified their locations with greater precision.

Fifth: I obtained the resolutions issued by the Fiqh Council of the Organization of the Islamic Conference in Jeddah, the Council of Senior Scholars, and the Fiqh Council of the Muslim World League—up to this year, 1421 AH, since each body’s inception—and placed every resolution in the chapter and discussion to which it belongs. These resolutions are exceedingly important, the product of select Muslim scholars who examined contemporary questions as well as long-standing issues that call for close scrutiny, after which each council reached a single, definitive opinion.

Sixth: I rearranged certain phrases and paragraphs—advancing some, delaying others—which enhanced the book’s clarity and elegance.

Seventh: I placed the text of Bulugh al-Maram’s hadiths at the top of each page, set in a distinctive typeface, color, size, and with full vocalization.

In short, the discerning reader will—God willing—find a marked difference