As for the muḥtasib (the officer charged with promoting right and forbidding wrong), he must impose a discretionary punishment on anyone who openly commits such acts, whether in word or deed, and he must prevent people from gathering in places that arouse suspicion. A punitive sentence is carried out only for a proven offense, whereas bans and other precautions¹ may be taken on the basis of mere suspicion. Thus ʿUmar b. al-Khaṭṭāb (may Allah be pleased with him) forbade boys to associate with a man who was suspected of indecency. The same principle applies to refusing the testimony of a person suspected of lying, to withholding trust from one suspected of betrayal, and to dealing warily with a debtor suspected of willful delay².

1 Precautionary measures taken to avert potential wrongdoing.
2 Maṭl: deliberate procrastination in paying what one owes.