What is the meaning of hisbah and rijaal al-hisbah?

Question

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.