What is the meaning of hisbah and rijaal al-hisbah?
Question

                We sometimes hear and read about hisbah (guarding against infringements) and rijaal al-hisbah (men who guard against infringements). Who are these men and what is their job?
Praise be to Allah. 
          Rijaal al-hisbah (men who guard against 
          infringements) are people who devote their time to denouncing visible 
          evil whether they do that voluntarily or they are paid for it from the 
          Bayt al-Maal (treasury) of the Muslims. Part of their job of hisbah 
          is to denounce evil actions in marketplaces and elsewhere such as: 
 
          1-Free mixing of the sexes 
          and wanton display of beauty (tabarruj) which are forbidden according 
          to sharee’ah.
 
          2-Imitation of either of 
          the sexes by the other.
 
          3-Men making approaches to 
          women either verbally or by their actions.
 
          4-Profane, obscene or indecent 
          speech.
 
          5-Playing radios, TVs or 
          recorders etc. near mosques or in such a way as to disturb the worshippers.
 
          6-Non-Muslims openly manifesting 
          their beliefs or the symbols of their religion, or showing disrespect 
          towards the symbols and rulings of Islam.
 
          7-Displaying or selling pictures, 
          books or video or audio recordings which go against Islamic etiquette 
          or Islamic beliefs.
 
          8-Displaying 3-D or promiscuous 
          images, or the symbols of non-Islamic religions such as the cross, the 
          star of David, images of the Buddha, and the like.
 
          9-Manufacturing or promoting 
          or trading in intoxicants.
 
          10-Means that lead to immoral 
          actions such as adultery, homosexuality and gambling, or running houses 
          and places where evil and immoral actions may be committed.
 
          11-Manifest bid’ah (innovation), 
          such as venerating certain times and places for which there is no sanction 
          in sharee’ah, or celebrating innovated, un-Islamic festivals and occasions.
 
          12-Practising witchcraft, 
          magic and trickery in order to consume people’s wealth unlawfully.
 
          13-Cheating in weights and 
          measures. 
 
          Their work also involves the following: 
 
          1-Inspection of slaughterhouses 
          to ensure that slaughter of animals is done in the manner prescribed 
          in sharee’ah
 
          2-Inspection of boutiques 
          and tailor shops catering to women. 
 
          The presence of the police does not mean 
          that there is no need for these rijaal al-hisbah, because the police 
          force that exists in some countries does not denounce all evil actions 
          and put an end to them. Rather they seek to enforce laws which at best 
          include both truth and falsehood, whilst the rijaal al-hisbah enjoin 
          everything that Allaah and His Messenger 
          
          (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) have enjoined and compel 
          people to adhere to the obligatory duties, and they forbid everything 
          that Allaah and His Messenger 
          
          (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) have forbidden, and they 
          intervene to prevent forbidden actions.