A History Of Archery -Ep3

Hadith on the Importance of Archery

There are a number of hadith relating to the importance of archery in the Islamic tradition. We know that the Prophet ﷺ used to own several bows and placed a strong emphasis on archery as narrated in a number of hadith.

Bows Used by the Prophet ﷺ

Some of the bows used by the Prophet of Allah ﷺ are as follows:

• Al-Zawraa’ (الزوراء)
• Ar-Rawhaa’ (الروحاء) – the sweet smelling
• Al-Safraa’ (الصفراء) – the yellow one
• Al-Baydaa’ (البيضاء) – the white one
• Al-Katoom (الكتوم) – the silent
• As-Sadaad (السداد) – straightness
• Al-Shadaad (الشداد)

Selected Hadith on the Benefits of Archery

• Sahih Muslim:
  “Prepare to meet them with as much strength as you can afford. Verily, strength lies in archery. Verily, strength lies in archery. Verily, strength lies in archery.”

• Abu al-Shaikh and Ibn Dunya:
  “Learn the casting of arrows, and do not be averse to it, for the area between the two targets holds a garden of the gardens of paradise.”

• Al-Daylami:
  “Learn the casting of arrows and the Quran.”

• Abu Da’ud and others:
  “Verily, with one arrow Allah Almighty will admit three individuals into paradise: the maker of the arrows who fashions it with good intent; the archer who shoots this arrow; and the person who gathers it up (after it has been cast).”

• An-Nasai and al-Bayhaqi:
  “Everything that is done without the remembrance of Allah (dhikrullah) is vain distraction and idle play, but 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.”

• Ad-Daylami:
  “What an excellent diversion for a man is the casting of arrows; and whoever leaves archery after having learnt it, he has rejected a gift of grace.”

• Al-Tabrani:
  “Everyone who walks between the two points of the archery field will have merited the reward for a good deed for every step he takes.”

• Ibn Abi ad-Dunya:
  “The Holy Prophet ﷺ liked shooting arrows between the two targets, and he used to run along with his Companions.”

• Al-Tabarani (Al-Saghir):
  “There is no harm for any of you to take up your bow when you are overtaken by care, and thereby do away with your worries.”

And Allah knows best.