THE RULES AND VIRTUES OF TARGET SHOOTING
The Virtues Of Target Shooting
Allah Ta’ala says:
“And prepare against them whatever you are able of power”
Uqbah bin Aamir (radiallahu anhu) narrated: I heard the Messenger of Allah Ta’ala (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) on the pulpit say: ““And prepare against them whatever you are able of power” and power is the ability to shoot, power is the ability to shoot, power is the ability to shoot”
Khalid bin Zaid (radiallahu anhu) said I used to be good at archery and Uqbah would go out target shooting with me. One day I was reluctant to go out so he told me: “O Khalid, let me tell you what I heard the Messenger of
Allah Ta’ala say. He said: “Allah Ta’ala admits three people into Paradise because of one arrow. The one who makes it, doing so with the intention of good, the one who shoots it and the one who hands it over to the archer. So go out and train in archery and in horseback riding. And I prefer you train in archery. Entertainment is appropriate in only three forms: Training your horse, playing with your wife, and archery. And whoever learns archery and then abandons it has rejected a blessing from Allah Ta’ala ”
Salamah bin al Akwa (radiallahu anhu)said: The Messenger of Allah Ta’ala (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) passed next to boys playing a game of archery. He said: “Shoot children of Ismael, your father was great archer. Shoot and I will join so and so” and
he joined one of the teams. The Messenger of Allah Ta’ala (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) then said: “Why did you stop?” They said: “How can we do so when you are with them?” He said: “Go ahead and shoot, I am with all of you!”
Uqbah (radiallahu anhu) said: I heard the Messenger of Allah Ta’ala (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) say: “You will conquer many lands and you will be safe and secure. If that happens don’t
Trans. Note: [All this would apply to modern forms of weaponry]
Ata bin Rabah said: I saw Jabir bin Abdullah and Jabir bin Umair al Ansari (radiallahu anhu) target shooting while one of them got bored and sat down.
The other told him: I heard the Messenger of Allah Ta’ala (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) say: “Everything that is not remembrance of Allah Ta’ala is in vain except four things: Your walking between your targets, training your horse, playing
with your wife, and swimming practice”
The scholars have stated that it is recommended to target shoot between two targets on opposite sides. So you stand next to one and shoot at the other and then walk towards the other one, pick up the arrows and then shoot at the first one.
The author of al Mughni (Ibn Qudamah Al-Maqdisee) stated that it is Sunnah to shoot at two opposite facing targets since this was how the Sahabah used to practice. It is narrated that the Messenger of Allah Ta’ala (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said:
“Between the two targets is a garden of Paradise”
Amr bin Absah (radiallahu anhu) said we were laying siege to al Taif and I heard the Messenger of Allah Ta’ala (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) say: “Whoever shoots an arrow in the sake of Allah Ta’ala will be rewarded like one who has freed a slave” Amr said I shot 16 arrows on that day.
Kaab bin Murrah (radiallahu anhu) said: I heard the Messenger of Allah Ta’ala (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) say:
“Whoever reaches with his arrow a target among the enemy, Allah Ta’ala will raise him one level in Paradise” Abdullah bin al Naham (radiallahu anhu) said:
“And what is a level like?” The Messenger of Allah Ta’ala (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said: “Don’t think that a level is like the doorstep of your mothers house. The distance between two levels is a hundred years”
Trans. Note: [In other words even if the Muslims are safe from war they should still not neglect military training]
Amr bin Absah (radiallahu anhu) said: The Messenger of Allah Ta’ala (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said: “Whoever shoots an arrow, regardless of whether it reaches the enemy or not, would be like the one who frees a Muslim slave, and that would free him from Hellfire” distance between two levels is a hundred years”
Abu Umamah narrated: The Messenger of Allah Ta’ala (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said: “Whoever grows a gray hair in Islam, it will be light for him on the Day of Judgment, and whoever shoots an arrow in the cause of Allah Ta’ala , whether he hits or misses, will be like the one who frees a slave from the descendents of Ismail”
Utbah bin Abd al Sulami (radiallahu anhu) narrated: The Messenger of Allah Ta’ala (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) told hiscompanions: “Stand up and fight!” So a man stood up and shot an arrow. The Messenger of Allah Ta’ala (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said: “This man is granted Paradise”
In the past hadith of Amr bin Absah (radiallahu anhu) is evidence that shooting one arrow in the path of Allah Ta’ala saves that person from Hellfire and Allah Ta’ala knows best
Ibrahim al Tamimi narrates from his father that he said: “I have seen Huthaifah in Mada’in running between his two targets with a bare top.”
Mujahid said: “I have seen Abdullah bin Umar running between his two targets and he was saying how can I achieve it! How can I “How can I achieve it” refers to martyrdom since that was their aspiration. achieve it!”
Although it could possibly be referring to the targets.
This shows you the attention the companions gave to target shooting. They used to celebrate target shooting and they were active in it to the extent that one of them would not even walk between the two targets but would run in
Trans. Note: [Huthaifah would run rather than walk between the two targets and would not wear clothes on the upper half of his body as a training on hardship] order to train themselves. This was their practice and they are the suns and stars of guidance, and the kings of this world and the next. What they did was the best of actions. It is enough that Allah Ta’ala said about them:
“Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah Ta’ala (sallallahu alaihi wasallam); and those with him are severe against the disbelievers, merciful among themselves. You see them bowing and prostrating, seeking bounty from Allah Ta’ala and His pleasure.
Their mark is on their faces from the traces of prostration”
Therefore the target shooter should leave behind formalities while practicing and should be laid back with their brothers when in practice. The intentions should be for Allah Ta’ala and seeking His reward, and should realize that what they are doing is one of the greatest acts of worship and not merely a form of entertainment or sport. They should thank Allah Ta’ala for giving them health and strength to practice and should praise Allah Ta’ala for making it beloved to them. It is acceptable to laugh and play with your brothers while practicing, in fact, it is recommended since it makes target shooting dearer to you. Bilal bin Saad said: “I have seen men who would run between their targets and joke with each other, but when night arrives they would be monks” Bilal was one of them. He was one of the great scholars of al Tabi’een and one of their worshipers. He was among the ones who would pray a thousand rakahs per night.
Shams al Deen bin al Jawziah stated in his book “Knighthood” that Ibn Taymiyah said: “It is narrated that some men were target shooting when it was told to the Messenger of Allah Ta’ala (sallallahu alaihi wasallam): “It is time for prayers” He said: “They
are in prayers” So he considered that their target shooting is equivalent to praying
The Warning Against Whoever Learns Shooting And Then Deserts It:
Faqeem al Lakhmi told Uqbah bin Amer: “You are running between these two targets and you are at this old age!” Uqbah said: “If it wasn’t for some words I heard from the Messenger of Allah Ta’ala (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) I wouldn’t have gone through this” The narrator asked what those words were, he said:
“Whoever learns target shooting and then abandons it is not one of us – or he said, “has committed a sin”“ (Muslim)
Some of the scholars are of the opinion that learning target shooting and then abandoning it is one of the major sins based on the rule that whenever the Messenger of Allah Ta’ala (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) say: “He is not one of us” or a statement similar to that, it is referring to a major sin.
The Virtues Of Swords:
Allah Ta’ala says:
“And let them carry their arms”
Allah Ta’ala says:
“And prepare against them whatever you are able of power”
The Messenger of Allah Ta’ala (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said: “I was sent right before the final our with the sword until Allah Ta’ala is worshiped with no associates, and my provisions are under the shade of my spear, and humility is the destiny of whoever goes against me, and whoever imitates a people is one of them”
Ibn al Qayyim: Imam Ahmad stated that training with your spear in places where jihad is needed is greater in reward than voluntary Salah.
Abdullah bin Abi Awfa narrated that the Messenger of Allah Ta’ala (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) was waiting for an enemy to attack but when the sun was setting he said: “Don’t desire meeting the enemy but when you do be firm, and realize that Paradise is beneath the shadow of swords”
Abu Bakr bin Abi Musa said I heard my father say: “Paradise is beneath the shadow of swords” A man dressed in poor clothes stood up and said: “O Abu Musa! Did you hear that from the Messenger of Allah Ta’ala (sallallahu alaihi wasallam)?” He said “yes” The man went back to his companions and gave them his salaams, then he drew out his sword, broke his sheath and went on to fight until he was killed”
Abu Uthman al Nahdi said: We received a letter from Umar when we were with Utbah bin Farqad in Azerbaijan. He said: “…Wear the dress of your father Ismael and beware of luxury and the clothes of the non-Muslims. Spend time under the sun since it is the bath of the Arabs. Be rough, be coarse, and be prepared. Sometimes walk barefoot, and jump over horsebacks rather than climb them. Shoot targets and walk between them” [Al Sunnan al Kubra by al Bayhaqi with an acceptable chain]
(al Nisaa 103);Nasa’i, Tabarani]
(al Anfal 60)
(Ahmad)
(Bukhari and Muslim)
