by Bint-Hamed
Beware, strength consists in archery.
Islam is a complete religion. The best way of life for both mankind and jinn.
In Islam with spiritual activities we also have activities that help us have a healthy sporty life. One from them is archery.
It has been narrated on the authority of Ibn Amir who said:I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say—and he was delivering a sermon from the pulpit: Prepare to meet them with as much strength as you can afford.
Beware, strength consists in archery. Beware, strength consists in archery. Beware, strength consists in archery.
حَدَّثَنَا هَارُونُ بْنُ مَعْرُوفٍ، أَخْبَرَنَا ابْنُ وَهْبٍ، أَخْبَرَنِي عَمْرُو بْنُ الْحَارِثِ، عَنْ أَبِي عَلِيٍّ، ثُمَامَةَ بْنِ شُفَىٍّ أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ عُقْبَةَ بْنَ عَامِرٍ، يَقُولُ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَهُوَ عَلَى الْمِنْبَرِ يَقُولُ “ وَأَعِدُّوا لَهُمْ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُمْ مِنْ قُوَّةٍ أَلاَ إِنَّ الْقُوَّةَ الرَّمْىُ أَلاَ إِنَّ الْقُوَّةَ الرَّمْىُ أَلاَ إِنَّ الْقُوَّةَ الرَّمْىُ
(Ref: Sahih Muslim 1917)
The Prophet ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam (peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him) once passed by some people of the tribe of Bani Aslam who were practicing archery.
The Prophet ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam (peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him) said: “O Bani Isma`il ! Practice archery as your father Isma`il was a great archer. Keep on throwing arrows and I am with Bani so-and-so.” [Bukhari]
Uqbah bin ‘Amir Juhani (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) saying, “Lands shall be laid open to you, and Allah will suffice you (against your enemies), but none of you should neglect practicing his skill in archery.”
[Muslim].
Benefits Of Archery
Improves your focus: Remaining focused during a shot is important for every archer. An archer must focus on his target, focus on his form, and has to ignore the distractions around him.
By constantly being focused, it can help you focus and keep calm in high-pressure situations.
Imrpoves your hand-eye coordination: Archery trains your hands to aim based on the feedback from your eyes. With continuous practice and repetition your coordination becomes better. The better coordination an archer has, the better the aiming.
Improves your upper strength: The arms, core, chest, and shoulders are all used when practicing a proper draw. Similar to lifting weights, an archer usually holds their draw for a couple seconds, which allows for tension in the muscles. Repetition of this action leads to muscle development.
Improves your social skills: Archery can be an individual sport or a team sport. When an archer competes in a tournament they are usually grouped together with other archers for scoring.
Archers can get to know each other while they walk the course together. Teams are important in archer too. Working as a team and supporting one another is important for the success of the group.
Improves your confidence: Archery provides a boost of self-esteem to archers when they see their mental and physical skills improving during practice and tournaments.
Sources: Islamqa.info, alhadith.co.uk
