Chapter: The virtue of Shooting and Encouragement to learn it, and criticism of the one who learns it and then forgets it
It has been narrated on the authority of Ibn Amir who said: I heard the Messenger of Allah ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) 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.
It has been narrated on the authority of Uqba b. Amir who said: I heard the Messenger of Allah ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) say: Lands shall be thrown open to you and Allah will suffice you (against your enemies), but none of you should give up playing with his arrows.
This tradition has also been narrated on the same authority through another chain of transmitters.
It has been reported by 'Abd al-Rahman b. Shamasa that Fuqaim al- Lakhmi said to Uqba b. Amir: You frequent between these two targets and you are an old man, so you will be finding it very hard. 'Uqba said: But for a thing I heard from the Prophet ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ), I would not strain myself. Harith (one of the narrators in the chain of transmitters) said: I asked Ibn Shamasa: What was that? He said that he (the Holy Prophet) said: Who learnt archery and then gave it up is not from us. or he has been guilty of disobedience (to Allah's Apostle).