Before the appointment of the second Caliph Omar Ibn Al Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) Hisbah was not known to Muslims. The expansion of the Islamic State during his tenure of office has necessitated the establishment of Hisbah.
Hisbah, is a quasi-judicial office which was based on the idea of promotion of virtue and prevention of vice in the society.
Al-Muhtasib is the person who enjoins the promotion of virtue and prevention of vice in the society. As an Imam of the Islamic community he was also known as the "Sheikh". Al-Muhtasib does not only maintain law and order in the society but he also enforces moral conduct and obliges people to respect these morals and virtues. It is he who orders the people to observe Friday Prayers, and other congregational prayers; he is the preacher to whom people listen attentively, especially when he reminds them to be trustworthy and asks them to maintain virtue and avoid vices such as telling lies or betraying people or cheat them. All in all he usually talks about all vices prohibited by God and all virtues ordered by God.
It shall be noted that Al-Muhtasib also preached people about selling, buying and lending about which Prophet Mohammed (P.B.U.H) warned Muslims not cheat or get more than they deserved. He even talks to Jews and Christians who sometimes conceal or refuse to disclose information that Prophet Mohammed had told Muslims about them.
The Honorable Prophet (P. B. U. H.) was the first to assume the role of Muhtasib. He used to tour markets and advices people about what is right and what is wrong. The Prophet assigned some of his companions to do the task of Muhtasib, he ordered Sa'eed bin Al-Aas to do the job in Makkah Market, and Omar ibn Al-Khattab in Al-Madinah Market, and he used to oversee the market, and watch the weights and measures, and urges Muslims to be kind and merciful to animals.
During the long history of Islam, Al-Hisbah Office has been implementing the rules and laws until the Federalists assumed power in the Ottoman Empire, and began to make significant administrative changes. They aimed at modernizing the State to keep pace with the progress attained by European countries. Among the administrative changes which they made was the abolition of the office of Al-Muhtasib, instead they created a new Department under the name "The Municipality", they transferred all the powers of Al-Muhtasib to the Mayor of the Municipality, they defined his responsibilities and the nature of his work.
The functions of the Municipality also included the responsibilities of urban planning, street planning, supervision of buildings, roads and markets construction in addition to controlling markets. These new responsibilities became the main tasks of Al-Muhtasib, and the tasks of promotion of virtue and prevention of vice were removed from him.
The new system was implemented in Al-Madinah at the time of the Sudri Ali Riza Al-Riqabi, and the Office of Al-Muhtasib was demolished, and a large building was constructed for the Municipality. Mohammad Sa'id was the first to be appointed as the Mayor of the new Municipality in the year 1330 H. of course he was Al-Muhtasib. Because he was courageous and stanch man, he continued in his work in the same way as before, and the people of Al-Madinah did not notice any change in the new amendment.
At the end of the Hashemite rule in Makkah and Al-Madinah in the hands of King Abdul Aziz Al Saud, a set of new regulations were decreed by the King known as the (Basic commands of Hijaz Kingdom), and were published in "Um Al-Qura" newspaper on the 21st of Safar 1345H. Under these instructions Hijaz became a "Kingdom" with Makkah Al-Mukarramah as its capital, and under the authority of Najd Kingdom implementing the Islamic law "Sharia" The Kingdom has an appointed Shoura Council that consists of representatives selected from the various cities of Hijaz, its villages and the nomadic tribes. A Municipal Council was also established to look into local issues related to planning, construction and the municipal affairs. This Municipal Council which consisted of the Chairman, Mohammad Hassan Al-Samman, Mohammad Al-Qadi, Sulaiman Al-Basel, Abdullah Barzanji, Yousuf Hawalah as permanent members. Honorary members were also appointed, namely: Taha Mohammad Hussein, Nasser Al-Turki, Ahmed Ata'a Allah, and Kamil Khoja. The Council started its work by examining construction in the City, and planning streets, developing laws for building. Building was not allowed before obtaining permits, and monitoring the markets.
The laws of the Constituent Authority stated that a municipal system was established and was mandated to take care of (cleaning the environment, hygienic food, epidemic controls, drying quagmires, and cleaning the sewage systems and Inspection Chambers, assume night guard, monitoring butchers and houses, supervising kerosene depots, and paving, repairing and lighting of streets and serving Senior State Guests.
A Ministerial Decree, dated 26/7/1398H was issued proclaiming that the category of Al-Madinah Municipality would be upgraded as a senior municipality. In the year 1401H a Royal Decree was issued to change the name of the Secretariat to a " Municipality ". This term was designated to the important and major cities. These Municipalities were given priorities in terms of development projects, while their administrations were granted wider powers and administratively linked to the Minister of Municipal and Rural Affairs. Large budgets were allocated to it.
This transformation took place during the tenure of the former Chairman of the Municipality Sadaqah Hassan Khashugji, who became the first Mayor of the city of Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah. He was replaced by Eng. Omar Abdullah Qadi with effect from 27/10/1403H, Eng. Abdul Aziz bin Abdurrahman Al-Hussein replaced Eng. Omar Abdullah Qadi from 14/5/1409H to date.
Names of those who assumed the Mayorship of the Municipality
First: During the Ottoman period:
Ali Deirie - Yousuf Shasli – Mohammad Daghistani - Hassan Attar - Mohammad Hammouda - Ahmad Safi - Khalid Khashugji - Anwar Eshky - Mohammad Hassan Samman - Zein El-Abideen Madani - Diab Nasser - Hamza Ghauth - Sherif Bey Jamal – Col. Mohammad Ali Bey – Noor Addeen Bey – Al-Sayed Ja'afar Habashi - Saleh Shaqlebha
Second: During Al-Ashraf Era – Sherifs are decedants of Prophet Mohammed)
Abdullah Attas - Hassan Dagestani - Mahmoud Abdul Jawad - Mahmoud Halawani
Third: During the Saudi Era: Diab Nasser - Mohammed Hassan Samman – Abdul Qadir Ghauth - Mustafa Attar - Amin Madani - Mohammad Abdul Jawad - Saleh Al-Maiman - Ali Hafiz - Saleh Abdullah Fada'ely – Abdul Qader Hassan Taher – Sadaqah Hassan Khashugji - Omar Abdullah Qadi – Abdul Aziz bin Abdurrahman Al-Hussein (the current Mayor).