ARCHERY IN ISLĀM
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The Early Days
The Early Days
Rasūlullāh ﷺ mentioned many traditions which the illustrious Companions recorded. The type of advice given, and how the Companions asked the questions, provides insight into how Rimāyah was understood during the early days of Islām. For the sake of brevity, only a few of the teachings of Rasūlullāh ﷺ shall now be cited, so that spiritual light can be shed on the archer’s destination.
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Ḥadīth 1:
Narrated by al-Bayhaqī in his Sunan
On the authority of Abū Rāfiʿ, may Allāh be pleased with him, who related, “I asked Rasūlullāh ﷺ, ‘Do children have rights over us as we have rights over them?’ Rasūlullāh ﷺ replied:
‘Yes, the father has the same legal obligations towards his son as the son towards him.’ And he said, ‘The rights of the son over his parent are that he should teach him writing, swimming, and the casting of arrows and that he should leave him with a good legal inheritance.’”
And Rasūlullāh ﷺ has spoken truly.
It is mentioned here that learning archery is seen as a legal obligation toward one’s child. The fulfilment of such an obligation is a meritorious act and earns the pleasure of Allāh, as it is the advice of Rasūlullāh ﷺ given to the father concerning the upbringing of a child and preparing future generations.
The Ḥadīth below further expounds on the critical quality of perseverance while learning and teaching.
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Ḥadīth 2:
Chosen by ad-Daylamī in his Musnad
On the authority of Abū Saʿīd al-Khudrī, may Allāh be well pleased with him, who related that Rasūlullāh ﷺ said:
“Learn the casting of arrows and the Qurʾān.”
And Rasūlullāh ﷺ has spoken truly.
Rasūlullāh ﷺ here mentions ‘the casting of arrows’ in the same setting as the Qurʾān. This is profound because scholars know the Glorious Qurʾān as the highest form of remembering Allāh (Dhikrullāh), and time spent doing so is praiseworthy.
One should consider the effort made to learn, maintain, and bring the Glorious Qurʾān alive in one’s life. In this, there is a hint for us to understand the exertions required along the archer’s journey. In one statement, Rasūlullāh ﷺ mentions the upkeep of Dīn in two realms: one is to counter the enemy with the words of the Glorious Qurʾān, and the other is to counter with might.
Ḥadīth 3:
Related by aṭ-Ṭabarānī
On the authority of Abū al-Dardāʾ, may Allāh be well pleased with him, who narrated that Rasūlullāh ﷺ said:
“Everyone who walks between the two points of the archery field will have merited the reward of a good deed for every step he takes.”
And Rasūlullāh ﷺ has spoken truly.
Ḥadīth 4:
Selected by aṭ-Ṭabarānī
On the authority of Anas, may Allāh be well pleased with him, who said:
“The Messenger of Allāh ﷺ said:
‘Whoever shoots an arrow in the way of Allāh will receive the reward of freeing a slave, and this is his ransom from the Fire.’”
And Rasūlullāh ﷺ has spoken truly.
Ḥadīth 5:
Related by an-Nasāʾī and al-Bayhaqī
On the authority of ʿAṭāʾ ibn Abī Rabāḥ, may Allāh be well pleased with him, who narrated:
“I saw Khālid ibn ʿAbdullāh and Jābir ibn ʿAmr al-Anṣārī, may Allāh’s favours be upon them both, casting arrows. As one of them wearied, the other said to his companion, ‘You have grown weary of casting arrows, but I have heard these words from Rasūlullāh ﷺ, who said:
‘Everything that is done without the remembrance of Allāh (Dhikrullāh) is a vain distraction and idle play, except for these four accomplishments: a man walking between the two points of the archery ground, training his horse, learning how to swim, and jesting with his family.’”
And Rasūlullāh ﷺ has spoken truly.
Ḥadīth 6:
Related by ad-Daylamī
On the authority of Ibn ʿUmar, may Allāh be well pleased with them both, from Rasūlullāh ﷺ who said:
“What an excellent diversion for a man is the casting of arrows; and whoever leaves archery after having learned it has rejected a gift of grace.”
And Rasūlullāh ﷺ has spoken truly.
The above aḥādīth (3) to (6) indicate that a believer should strive to spend time in environments where time is not wasted on worldly pursuits, and where the unmindfulness of Allāh and His Messenger ﷺ has been abandoned. Rasūlullāh ﷺ emphatically mentioned that Rimāyah (as well as horsemanship and jesting with one’s family) cannot be considered ‘vain distraction and idle play,’ meaning a waste of one’s time and effort. Rather, it is evident within the traditions that all acts associated with Rimāyah, whether casting or just walking on the training grounds, are considered meritorious. Rasūlullāh ﷺ goes so far as to say that learning Rimāyah and then abandoning it is akin to rejecting a favour of Allāh Taʿālā.
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Now, should a desire to embark on an honourable journey be present in the heart of a person, then it becomes necessary to discuss those nations that held onto the Sunnah of Rimāyah. They took lessons from the noble Companions and implemented their advice to such an extent that Rimāyah became an integral part of their very existence. Their Sultans, ʿUlamāʾ, Imāms, scribes, military, artisans, and ordinary folk were well acquainted with Rimāyah and held it in high esteem. From them, we learn that the fundamental requirement is for an individual to recognise that the journey exists.
There is no point in setting forth on a journey without the intention of reaching the destination, treading the pre-determined path, or acknowledging the journey’s existence. One should not harbour ill intent toward others, animals, equipment, or oneself. Instead, he should remain humble and see himself as a slave of Allāh, with the sole intent of pleasing the Most Compassionate, the Master of the Universe. If he is sincere, Allāh Taʿālā, through His infinite mercy, may elevate the archer’s status, both in this world and the next.
And Allāh Taʿālā knows best. And from Allāh Taʿālā comes success!
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