What are the jurisprudential rulings regarding AIDS, is it obligatory to isolate the person afflicted with it, what is the ruling on intentionally transmitting the infection, and is the patient considered to be in a death sickness?

Firstly: It is not a religious obligation to isolate AIDS patients from healthy individuals, as long as the infection is not transmitted through normal cohabitation. The modes of transmission are: sexual contact, contaminated blood transfusions, use of contaminated needles, and transmission from an infected mother to her child.

Secondly: Intentionally transmitting the AIDS infection is forbidden and is considered one of the major sins (kaba'ir). It necessitates worldly punishment. If the intent is to spread the disease, it is considered brigandage (hirabah) and corruption in the land. If the intent is to infect a specific person, and the infection occurs but the recipient does not die, the perpetrator is punished by discretionary punishment (ta'zir). If death occurs, the application of the death penalty is considered. If the infection does not transmit, the perpetrator is punished by discretionary punishment (ta'zir).

Thirdly: AIDS is considered a death-illness (mard al-mawt) religiously if its symptoms are complete, it incapacitates the patient from normal life, and death is imminent.