Muhtasib ana uwezo wa kuhukumu kosa mara tu anapolifahamu, na hili linaweza kufanyika papo hapo na mahali popote. Hahitaji kuwa katika mahakama ya kisheria. Atakuwa na idadi ya maafisa wa polisi wa kutekeleza amri zake na kutekeleza hukumu papo hapo.

The Muhtasib has the power to judge on the offence as soon as He learns about it, and this could take place on the spot and at any location. He does not need to be in a judicial court. He will have at his disposal a number of police staff to execute his orders and to apply the sentence on the spot.

Mtu wa Hisba hahitaji mahakama ya kisheria ili kuchunguza kesi iliyopo. Yeye hutoa hukumu mara tu anapokuwa na hakika kwamba kosa limetendeka, na ana mamlaka ya kuhukumu mahali popote na wakati wowote, iwe sokoni, nyumbani, akiwa amepanda farasi au kwenye gari, mchana au usiku. Ushahidi unaothibitisha haja ya kuwa na mahakama ya kisheria kwa ajili ya kushughulikia kesi hauhusu mtu wa Hisba, kwa sababu Hadithi iliyothibitisha sharti hili inasema: "Iwapo wadai wawili walikaa mbele yako." Hili halitumiki kwa hakimu wa Hisba, kwa kuwa hakuna mlalamikaji wala mshtakiwa; badala yake, kuna haki ya umma iliyokiukwa, au ukiukwaji wa Shari'a. Zaidi ya hayo, Mtume wa Allah ﷺ alipochunguza kesi ya rundo la chakula, alikuwa akitembea sokoni wakati huo, na chakula kilikuwa kimewekwa kwa ajili ya kuuzwa. Hakumwita muuzaji kwake, bali mara tu alipogundua kosa alilishughulikia papo hapo. Hili linaonyesha kwamba kesi za Hisba hazihitaji mahakama ya kisheria.

A judicial court would not be required for the Muhtasib to look into the case at hand, He passes the judgement the moment He is sure that the offence took place, and He has the power to judge at any place and at anytime, whether in the market, in the house, while riding or in the car during the day or night. The evidence that confirms the need to have a judicial court in order to deal with a case does not apply to the Muhtasib, because the Hadith that confirmed this condition states; “If the two disputing parties sat before you.” This is not applicable to the judge of Hisba, as there is no plaintiff and no defendant, rather, there is a public right that has been violated, or a violation of the Shar’a. Besides, when the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) looked into the case of the heap of food, He was walking in the market at the time and the food was displayed for sale. He (pbuh) did not summon the vendor to him, but as soon as He detected the offence He dealt with it on the spot. This indicates that the cases of Hisba do not require a judicial court.

Muhtasib ana haki ya kuchagua manaibu wa kumwakilisha. Wanapaswa kutimiza masharti ya Muhtasib, na anaruhusiwa kuwapangia maeneo mbalimbali. Manaibu hao watakuwa na mamlaka ya kutekeleza majukumu ya Hisba katika maeneo waliyopangiwa, na katika mambo yaliyokabidhiwa kwao.

The Muhtasib has the right to select deputies for him. They should fulfil the requirements of the Muhtasib, and He is allowed to assign them to different places. Those deputies would have the power to carry out the duties of the Hisba in the areas to which they have been assigned, and in the cases for which they have been delegated.

Hii inategemea kama kibali cha uteuzi wa Muhtasib kinajumuisha kifungu kinachompa mamlaka ya kuteua manaibu, yaani kumkabidhi manaibu watakaotenda kwa niaba yake, endapo uteuzi ulifanywa na Khalifa. Ikiwa uteuzi ulifanywa na Qadhi al-Qudhah (Jaji Mkuu), basi mbali na sharti lililotangulia, uteuzi wa Qadhi al-Qudhah lazima ujumuishe kifungu kinachompa mamlaka ya kuruhusu majaji anaowateua kuwakilisha wengine kwa niaba yao, yaani kuwapa haki ya kuwa na manaibu. Ikiwa Qadhi al-Qudhah hakuwa na mamlaka kama hayo, basi hangekuwa katika nafasi ya kuidhinisha ukabidhi huo, na hivyo Muhtasib asingeruhusiwa kuwa na manaibu, yaani asingekuwa na haki ya kukabidhi. Mamlaka ya jaji kukabidhi wengine kwa niaba yake, iwe ni Muhtasib, Qadhi (jaji) au Qadhi al-Mazaalim, hayamo mikononi mwa jaji isipokuwa Khalifa amruhusu kufanya hivyo; au ikiwa ruhusa ya kuajiri majaji na kuwaruhusu walioteuliwa kukabidhi wengine ilitolewa kwa Waali wa mahakama, yaani Qadhi al-Qudhah. Hii ni kwa sababu jaji huteuliwa katika mahakama, yaani aina maalum ya mahakama, ambayo ni Hisba. Kwa hiyo, asipopewa haki ya kukabidhi, yaani haki ya kumteua naibu kwa ajili yake mwenyewe, basi hatakuwa na mamlaka ya lazima ya kumteua mtu yeyote. Hili linatumika kwa Qadhi na Qadhi al-Mazaalim wote wawili, kwa kuwa kila mmoja wao ameteuliwa katika mahakama kulingana na kifungu cha uteuzi. Kwa hiyo hawana mamlaka yoyote ya ziada, yaani hawana haki ya kuteua majaji, isipokuwa hili likiwa sehemu ya mkataba wa uteuzi. Pia hangekuwa na haki ya kuteua manaibu wa kutekeleza majukumu ya Hisba kwa niaba yake, isipokuwa hili likiwa sehemu ya mkataba wake. Jambo hilo hilo linatumika kwa Qadhi al-Qudhah. Kuhusu ruhusa ya kuteua manaibu, hili linatokana na tendo la Mjumbe wa Allah ﷺ, kwani aliitwa kuchunguza kesi fulani, akamteua mtu kumwakilisha. Hili ndilo lililotokea katika tukio la Mwarabu wa jangwani aliyemjia Mjumbe wa Allah ﷺ na kumjulisha kwamba mwanawe alikuwa akifanya kazi kwa mtu fulani, kisha mwanawe akazini na mke wa mtu huyo. Hivyo akamwomba Mjumbe wa Allah ﷺ hukumu. Katika tukio hilo, Mjumbe wa Allah ﷺ alisema:

This depends on whether the appointment of the Muhtasib includes a clause that gives Him power to appoint deputies, i.e. to delegate deputies who would act on his behalf, in case the Khaleefah made his appointment. If the appointment was however made by the Qadhi al- Qudhah (Supreme judge), then beside the previous condition the appointment of the Qadhi al-Qudhah must include a clause that gives Him power to allow the judges that He appoints to delegate others to act on their behalf, i.e to give them the right to have deputies. If the Qadhi al- Qudhah did not have such power, then He would not be in a position to approve such a delegation, thus the Muhtasib would not be allowed to have deputies, i.e. He would not have the right to delegate. The power of the judge to delegate on his behalf, whether it be the Muhtasib, the Qadhi (judge) or the Qadhi al-Mazaalim, is not in the hands of the judge unless the Khaleefah allows Him to do so; or if the permission to recruit judges and to allow those appointed to delegate were given to the Waali of the judiciary, i.e. the Qadhi al-Qudhah. This is because the judge is appointed to the judiciary, i.e. a specific type of judiciary, which is the Hisba. Therefore, if He were not given the right to delegate, i.e. the right to appoint a deputy for himself, He would not then possess the mandatory power to appoint anyone. This applies to both the Qadhi and the Qadhi al-Mazaalim, for each of them would be appointed to the judiciary according to the appointment clause. Thus they do not possess any extra power, i.e. they would have no right to appoint judges, unless this formed part of the appointment contract. He would not also have the right to appoint deputies to perform the duties of Hisba on his behalf, unless this was part of his contract. The same applies to the Qadhi al-Qudhah. As for the permissibility of appointing deputies, this is derived from the Messenger of Allah’s action, for He (pbuh) was called upon to look into a case, and He appointed someone to act on his behalf. This was what happened in the incident of the desert Arab who came to the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) and informed Him that his son was working for a man and He committed adultery with the man’s wife, so He asked Him for the verdict. The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said at that incident:

"Nenda, ee Unays (mtu kutoka Aslam), kwa mke wa mtu huyu, akikiri kosa, basi mpige mawe." [Narrated by Bukhari and Muslim by way of Abi Hurayrah, Zayd bin Khalid al Juhani]

“Go O Unays (a man from Aslam) to this man’s wife, if she admitted guilt then stone her.” [Narrated by Bukhari and Muslim by way of Abi Hurayrah, Zayd bin Khalid al Juhani]

Hii inaonyesha kwamba hakimu anaweza kumtuma naibu wake kuhukumu kesi fulani anayomkabidhi. Hali hiyo hiyo inatumika kwa Muhtasib, kwa kuwa yeye pia ni hakimu. Hata hivyo, hakimu lazima amruhusu naibu wake kushughulikia kesi kwa ujumla, yaani, apewe ruhusa ya kuchunguza malalamiko na kutoa hukumu mwenyewe, ikiwa uteuzi wa unaibu ni halali. Hii ni kwa sababu uamuzi wa kimahakama ni kufikisha hukumu kwa njia ya kulazimisha, kwa hiyo katika muktadha huu hauwezi kugawanywa, na hivyo hawezi kumteua mtu kwa ajili ya uchunguzi tu bila kuhukumu. Uteuzi lazima uwe kamili ili naibu awe hakimu na hukumu yake iwe halali. Hata hivyo, hata kama wakati mwingine hakutoa hukumu kwa kweli, kazi yake bado itakuwa halali, kwa kuwa si sharti kwake kutoa hukumu. Hakimu anaweza kuchunguza kesi, na kabla ya kukamilisha kazi yake na kutoa hukumu, akaondolewa madarakani, kisha kesi hiyo ikapelekwa kwa hakimu mwingine ambaye atatoa hukumu. Hali hiyo hiyo inatumika kwa naibu wa hakimu. Si sharti kwake kutoa hukumu, lakini lazima apewe haki ya kuchunguza na kuhukumu atakapoteuliwa, yaani, lazima ateuliwe kama hakimu kamili, mwenye mamlaka yote ya lazima aliyopewa hakimu. Hali hiyo hiyo inatumika kwa Muhtasibu. Anaweza kuwateua manaibu wenye mamlaka ya kuchunguza na kuhukumu katika kesi anazowakabidhi, au katika maeneo ambayo anawaweka, yaani ikiwa amepewa mamlaka ya kuteua manaibu. Masharti ya kisheria kwa wale ambao hakimu huwateua kuwa manaibu wake ni: Lazima wawe Waislamu, wanaume huru, waadilifu, wenye umri wa kubalehe na Mafaqihi (wanazuoni wenye elimu) katika mambo watakayopewa kushughulikia, yaani lazima wawe na sharti zilezile za Muhtasib, kwa kuwa nao pia ni mahakimu kama yeye.

This indicates that the judge could send a deputy to judge on his behalf in a case He assigns to him. The same applies to the Muhtasib, as He is also a judge. However, the judge must allow his deputy to deal with the case as a whole, i.e. He must be allowed to look into the complaint and pronounce judgement himself if the appointment to deputise were valid. This is because the judiciary is the conveying of the rule by way of compulsion, so in this context it cannot be partitioned, and therefore He cannot appoint Him to merely investigate without judging. The appointment must be complete so that He becomes a judge and his judgement becomes valid. However, even if He sometimes did not actually pronounce a judgement, his work would still be valid, for it is not a condition for Him to act as a judge. A judge could look into a case, and before completing his work and pronouncing his judgement, He could be relieved of his duties, and then the case would be referred to another judge who would pass judgement. The same applies to the judge’s deputy. It is not a condition for Him to pass judgement, but He must be given the right to investigate and pass judgement when appointed, i.e. He must be appointed as a full judge, holding all the mandatory powers given to a judge. The same applies to the Muhtasibin He appoints deputies with powers to investigate and judge in the cases He assigns for them, or in the areas in which He places them, that is if He has been given the power to appoint deputies. The legal requirements for those whom the judge appoints as his deputies are: They must be Muslim, free men, just, mature and Fuqaha (learned scholars) in the matters they are assigned to deal with, i.e. they must have the same requirements as the Muhtasib, because they are also judges like him.