之所以称为“马斯拉哈”（Maslahah，公益），是因为建立在它之上的裁决，是依据那些被认为最有可能带来利益或消除损害的做法而定的。它之所以被描述为“伊尔萨勒”（Irsaal，即Mursal，无拘束的），是因为对于它的采纳或舍弃，立法者（Shaari'）并没有提供专门的沙尔能依据（Daleel Shar'iy）。它对于使用者的意义，体现在以下几个方面：

The Maslahah has been called a Maslahah because the building of a Hukm upon it is in accordance to what is thought to be most likely to bring or attain the benefits or repel the harms. And it has been described with Irsaal (i.e. Mursal) because it is devoid of a Daleel Shar’iy for its consideration or its cancellation from the side of the Shaari’. Its significance for those who use it is seen in the following matters:

对于采用它的学者而言，“al-Masaalih al-Mursalah”（不受限定的公共利益）为“ijtihaad”（独立推理）提供了广阔的空间，使穆寄塔希德（mujtahidun）得以就那些既无经文、也无“ijmaa’”（公议）依据的事务建立大量的“ahkaam”（律例）。这适用于与人民事务和国家公共利益相关的新生问题。

1 - Al-Masaalih Al-Mursalah, for those who have adopted it, represents a wide scope for Ijtihaad where it is possible for the Mujtahideen to establish a great number of Ahkaam upon it, for that which has no text or Ijmaa’ for it. This applies to the newly arising issues related to the affairs of the ‘Ibaad (servants, people) and the Masaalih (interests) of the land.