Aslam

Praise be to Allah.

Rijaal al-hisbah (men who guard against

infringements) are people who devote their time to denouncing visible

evil whether they do that voluntarily or they are paid for it from the

Bayt al-Maal (treasury) of the Muslims. Part of their job of hisbah

is to denounce evil actions in marketplaces and elsewhere such as:

1-Free mixing of the sexes

and wanton display of beauty (tabarruj) which are forbidden according

to sharee’ah.

2-Imitation of either of

the sexes by the other.

3-Men making approaches to

women either verbally or by their actions.

4-Profane, obscene or indecent

speech.

5-Playing radios, TVs or

recorders etc. near mosques or in such a way as to disturb the worshippers.

6-Non-Muslims openly manifesting

their beliefs or the symbols of their religion, or showing disrespect

towards the symbols and rulings of Islam.

7-Displaying or selling pictures,

books or video or audio recordings which go against Islamic etiquette

or Islamic beliefs.

8-Displaying 3-D or promiscuous

images, or the symbols of non-Islamic religions such as the cross, the

star of David, images of the Buddha, and the like.

9-Manufacturing or promoting

or trading in intoxicants.

10-Means that lead to immoral

actions such as adultery, homosexuality and gambling, or running houses

and places where evil and immoral actions may be committed.

11-Manifest bid’ah (innovation),

such as venerating certain times and places for which there is no sanction

in sharee’ah, or celebrating innovated, un-Islamic festivals and occasions.

12-Practising witchcraft,

magic and trickery in order to consume people’s wealth unlawfully.

13-Cheating in weights and

measures.

Their work also involves the following:

1-Inspection of slaughterhouses

to ensure that slaughter of animals is done in the manner prescribed

in sharee’ah

2-Inspection of boutiques

and tailor shops catering to women.

The presence of the police does not mean

that there is no need for these rijaal al-hisbah, because the police

force that exists in some countries does not denounce all evil actions

and put an end to them. Rather they seek to enforce laws which at best

include both truth and falsehood, whilst the rijaal al-hisbah enjoin

everything that Allaah and His Messenger

(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) have enjoined and compel

people to adhere to the obligatory duties, and they forbid everything

that Allaah and His Messenger

(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) have forbidden, and they

intervene to prevent forbidden actions.