Muhtasib ni hakimu anayeshughulikia kesi zote zinazohusu haki za umma ambazo hazina mlalamikaji, mradi kesi hizo zisiingie chini ya Hudud (kanuni ya adhabu) na Jinayat (sheria ya jinai).

The Muhtasib is the judge that deals in all the cases that concern the public rights and which do not have a plaintiff, as long as these cases do not fall under the Hudood (penal code) and the Jinayat (criminal law).

Ufafanuzi wa hakimu wa Hisba, ufafanuzi unaotokana na Hadith kuhusu rundo la chakula, wakati Mjumbe wa Allah ﷺ alipogundua unyevu katika rundo la chakula, akaamuru chakula chenye unyevu kiwekwe juu ili watu waweze kukiona. Hili lilikuwa haki ya umma ambayo Mjumbe wa Allah ﷺ aliichunguza, na akahukumu kwamba chakula chenye unyevu kiwekwe juu ili kuzuia udanganyifu. Hili linahusu haki zote za umma au maslahi yote ya aina hii. Haijumuishi kanuni ya adhabu wala sheria ya jinai, kwa kuwa hizo si za aina hiyo, na kimsingi ni migogoro kati ya watu.

This is the definition of the judge of Hisba, a definition that is deduced from the Hadith relating to the heap of food when the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) discovered dampness in the heap of food, so He ordered that the damp food be displayed on the top so that people could see it. This was a public right on which the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) looked into, and judged that the wet food should be displayed at the top to prevent cheating. This applies to all the public rights or interests that are of this nature. It does not include the penal code or the criminal law, for they are not of the same sort, and they are disputes between people in the first place.