The role of the inspector in confronting manifestations of fraud and deception during wars and crises in the Zayyanid era 962/633 AH - 1554/1235 AD.

Abstract

This study aims to shed light on the manifestations of fraud and deception that accompanied the wars and crises experienced by the Central Maghreb, particularly towards the end of the 9th Hijri/15th Gregorian century. These practices were no less impactful than the acts of killing and displacement inflicted upon a large segment of the population, especially as they spread through various means and diverse methods during the period of study. unfourtanately, most of the fraudulent methods and corrupt practices were carried out by sellers and merchants arriving in the markets of the Central Maghreb, particularly the Jewish community, who seized the turbulent conditions as a golden opportunity for fraud and forgery, despite the attempts of the Zayyanid sultans to confront these violations by appointing market inspectors (Muhtasibs) to oversee sellers and merchandise. Scholars and jurists firmly stood against them, declaring them forbidden due to their corrupting and harmful effects on society. This issue sparked a jurisprudential debate among the scholars of the era, with some supporting price controls in markets to protect consumer rights, while others rejected them due to the injustice towards owners or sellers.In this study, we concluded that the manifestations of fraud and deception, as a social problem and an economic scourge, had widespread evils and numerous harms on the members of the society, according to the consensus of jurists and scholars. as it ‘s taking people's money unjustly, and its severity sometimes exceeded that of other calamities.