MARKET INSPECTOR RULES

Posted by Winnie Melda on January 8th, 2019

Questions for Reading Response 4 - Market Inspector Rules:

1. What do you think was the intent of these rules?

            I think that the purpose of the rules was to guide the market activities and supervise them. The major issues of concern in market supervision are enhancing product quality, regulating prices, weights and measures, and business practices. However, the rules may not have served their intended purpose since some were difficult to practice. 

2. What general things are of particular concern?

            There are several issues of concern in the rules at Seville. The market inspector, Muhtasib, had a role of promoting good and preventing evil as well as other powers. However, the rules given do not seem to fulfill the role, but to regulate business operations. I am concerned by the way the market inspector gave strict rules like no washing salt or fresh water fish in water claiming that it would go bad. I think that the rules seek to tame individual behavior which should be given its purported freedom. Some of the rules are practical, but others are challenging to practice due to the technicalities involved.    

3. Discuss your favorite rule or the one you find most interesting and see if you can figure out what its purpose or intent was.(Why do you think this was a rule, what was it meant to accomplish)?

            My favorite rule is that: “..No barber may remain alone with a woman in his booth. He should work in the open market in a place where he can be seen and observed” (Abdun, 229). The rule was put in place to control human behavior especially in male-female relationships since men could be thought of taking advantage of women by abusing them emotionally or sexually. I think that the law was meant to protect women from mishandling by men and being taken advantage of which is unfair to their personality. 

4. Do these rules reflect cosmopolitanism yes or no?  Give one reason why or why not.

            Cosmopolitanism is the idea that all human beings belong to one community. I think that the rules do not reflect cosmopolitanism since they enhance religion differences which should not be an issue in a cosmopolitan city. The rule stipulate that a “Muslim should not massage a Jew or a Christian nor throw away his refuse” (Abdun, 230). The rule discourages the spirit of cosmopolitanism since it creates divisions among people of different religions which should not be the case in a cosmopolitan city.

Reference

Abdun I. (n.d) Hisba Manual: Market Regulations in Muslim Seville, pp. 227-231

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