The Prophet ﷺ forbade transactions that incur harm on people. Since human beings are infused with an inclination to love what benefits them and do what best serves their personal interests, even if it harms others, the Laws of Islamprovisions were prescribed to restrain the evil-enjoining self. One such provision that was prescribed to restrain and curb human greed is what the Prophet ﷺ prohibited in this hadeeth. He ﷺ forbade going out to meet the trading caravans (on their way) before they reach the marketplaces to buy their goods and then resell them for a higher price, taking advantage of the traders’ ignorance of their market values and prices or the buyer's needs. This incurs harm on the seller, because he may sell the goods for less than their market prices in this town, which may harm its people, because this buyer may monopolize such goods, controlling their price and increasing them as he wishes. He ﷺ also forbade a townsman from selling goods on behalf of a Bedouin. This means that a Bedouin may not appoint a townsman to sell his goods on his behalf in any given village or town for higher prices, acting as a broker and mediator in the sales transaction. The wisdom behind the prohibition in this regard is that it best serves people’s interests; a townsman may sell the commodity for a higher price, but if the Bedouin sells his own goods, he may sell it for a lower price, and this would be more beneficial for people. Moreover, a townsman may harm the interests of the Bedouin, i.e., principal, and be a reason for imperiling him to deceit. The hadeeth highlights the Prophet’s keenness to preserve the best interests of Muslims and his kindness towards them, even with regard to their worldly affairs. It is also deduced from the hadeeth that a ruler guides people (to what is lawful and unlawful) with regard to their business and sales transactions..