Nasai

Hadith Commentary:
Hafyaa and Thaniyyatul-Wada’ are both names of places; they were prepared outside of Madinah, meaning that their preparation (idmar) was done.
Idmar refers to the process in which a horse is first well-fed and fattened, then its feed is reduced, and it is kept confined in a stable with a covering so that it sweats profusely and its flesh becomes lean, making it fit for racing under the stipulated condition.

Regarding horse racing, Hafiz Sahib states:
“Indeed, the scholars have unanimously agreed on the permissibility of racing without any compensation being stipulated as a condition. However, Malik and Shafi’i restricted it to camels, horses, and archery, and some scholars restricted it only to horses, while Ata’ permitted such competition in everything, etc.” (Fath al-Bari)

That is, the scholars of Islam have agreed on the permissibility of holding races in which no compensation is stipulated as a condition. However, Imam Shafi’i and Imam Malik have restricted this racing to camels, horses, and archery, and some scholars have restricted it only to horses, while Ata’ has permitted such competition in everything.

In one narration it is stated: “There is no competition except in camel, horse, or arrow.”
That is, the stipulation of a prize for coming first is valid only in three things: camels, horses, and archery. And in another narration it is stated: “Whoever enters a horse between two horses, if he is confident that it will win, then there is no good in it.” (__Lughat al-Hadith__, letter S, p. 30)

That is, if a person enters a horse between two horses in a wager, and he is confident that this horse will surpass both, then it is not good; but if he is not confident, then the condition is permissible.

This third person is called a muhallil, meaning the one who makes the condition lawful. For further details, see (__Lughat al-Hadith__, letter S, page 30).

Hadith Commentary:
➊
Making a horse hardy and clever is called "tadmeer."
Its method is that the horse is well fed and watered for several days.
When it becomes fat and healthy, its fodder is gradually reduced day by day so that it becomes lean and thin.
Such a horse becomes very agile and swift; the distance that an ordinary horse covers in the same time, a prepared horse covers five to six miles.
In the era of ignorance (Jahiliyyah), people used to do this.
Islam maintained this practice.

➋
It is permissible to race horses for the purpose of military exercises, but placing a bet on it is forbidden.
The horse races that take place in our race clubs involve gambling as well.
These have no connection with jihad or military exercises; therefore, participating in such horse races is absolutely forbidden.
And Allah knows best.

Hadith Commentary:
1.
Shah Waliullah Muhaddith Dehlawi rahimahullah states in the explanation of the chapter headings of Bukhari that all mosques are, in reality, the property of Allah and not of anyone else. Therefore, a person might imagine that attributing them to any human is not correct. The author, in order to remove this misconception, has established that it is permissible to attribute a mosque to a person or a tribe, and this can be due to some connection, for example, attributing it to the builder, the caretaker (mutawalli), or the residents of the surrounding area. As in the hadith, the mosque is attributed to Banu Zuraiq.

2.
Imam Ibn Abi Shaybah rahimahullah has stated: Hazrat Imam Ibrahim Nakha’i rahimahullah disliked attributing any mosque to other than Allah, because mosques are only for Allah. However, Imam Bukhari rahimahullah, through this chapter heading, has established that there is no harm in doing so. The majority of scholars also support this, and the attribution mentioned regarding such mosques is for distinction, not to indicate ownership. (Fath al-Bari: 1/667)

3.
In that era, horses were prepared for jihad in such a way that first they were well-fed and fattened, then they were kept hungry, and blankets were placed on them in the houses so that after sweating, their fat would melt and become part of their bodies. By performing this process for forty days, the horse would become swift and its stamina would increase. For their races, a longer distance was set, while for races with untrained horses, the distance was kept shorter. Banu Zuraiq was a branch of the famous Ansar tribe of Madinah, Khazraj. It should be noted that this race competition was a part of military exercises; in contrast, in the present era, the races held in tracks, whose outcomes are linked to gambling, participation in such races is not permissible for a Muslim. Other issues related to this hadith will be discussed under Kitab al-Jihad, Hadith 2868, insha’Allah Ta’ala.

Hadith Commentary:
The plain stretching from the location of Hafyaa to Thaniyyat al-Wada’ also holds historical significance, because during the era of the Prophethood, horse races were held here for the horses prepared for jihad.

Hadith Commentary:
➊
The meaning of the horses being prepared is that they would be fed abundantly for a certain period, then saddles and the like would be placed on them, and their feed would gradually be reduced so that their fatness would diminish and they would gain strength and agility.
Such horses run very well, so the distance for their races would be kept longer, while the distance for unprepared horses would be shorter.
➋
(Hafyaa)
This is a place located five or six miles from Thaniyyat al-Wada‘, and Thaniyyat al-Wada‘ is a mountain pass where people would go to bid farewell to their guests.
The plain from the place of Hafyaa to Thaniyyat al-Wada‘ also holds historical significance because, in the era of the Messenger (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), horse races were held there so that the horses could be used in jihad.

Chapter of Sahih Bukhari Hadith Number: 2869: «بَابُ إِضْمَارِ الْخَيْلِ لِلسَّبْقِ:»
Relevance between the Chapter and the Hadith:
The relevance between the mentioned chapter and the hadith is difficult, because in the chapter the mention of horses that have been subjected to idhmar (conditioning by slimming) is conditional, while in the hadith the mention is of horses that have not been subjected to idhmar. The answer and reconciliation to this is that it is the habit of Imam Bukhari rahimahullah to bring one word from a hadith and thereby allude to another word. In this hadith, the other word is that those horses which had undergone idhmar, you (the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) stipulated their condition, from Hafyaa to Thaniyyah.
Hafiz Ibn Hajar rahimahullah said that Imam Bukhari rahimahullah alluded to the fact that the Sunnah is that in a race, those horses should be given precedence which have been conditioned (idhmar), but if a race is held between horses that have not been conditioned, then there is no harm in it.
«اشارة إلى أن السنة فى المسابقة أن يتقدم اضمار الخيل، وان كانت التى لا تضمر لا تمتنع المسابقة عليها.» [فتح الباري، ج 6، ص: 89]
Allamah Ayni rahimahullah writes:
«أي هذا باب فى بيان اضمار الخيل لأجل السبق، هل هو شرط أم لا؟» [عمدة القاري شرح صحيح البخاري، ج 14، ص: 159]
That is, this chapter is about the mention of conditioning (idhmar) of a horse for the purpose of competition—whether conditioning the horse participating in the race is a condition or not. Therefore, the answer to this is mentioned in the chapter of the hadith: for the competing horses, conditioning (idhmar) is not a condition; a race can be held without it as well. [المتواري على أبواب البخاري، ص: 160]
Benefit: (Meaning and Definition of Idhmar):
Whether idhmar is from the form of if‘aal or taf‘eel, its meaning is to make the horse slim and lean. Therefore, it is said:
«أضمر الفرس وضمره.» [مصباح اللغات، ص: 499، مادة ’ضمر‘ - المعجم الوسيط، ج 1، ص: 543، مادة ’ضمر‘]

Hadith Commentary:

The correspondence of this hadith with the chapter heading is difficult.

In the chapter heading, the condition pertains to horses that have been trained (mudhmar), whereas in the hadith, mention is made of those horses that have not been trained.

The answer to this is that it is the habit of Imam Bukhari rahimahullah to bring one word of a hadith and thereby allude to its other words. In this hadith, the other wording is that regarding those horses that had been trained, he (the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) stipulated their condition—from Hafyaa to Thaniyyah—as has been mentioned above.

Hadith Commentary:
The hadith mentions the race of those horses which were not prepared, whereas the chapter heading is the opposite—meaning, it mentions prepared horses. In reality, it is Imam Bukhari’s (rahimahullah) habit to bring a word in the chapter heading to allude to a hadith, even if that word does not appear in the presented hadith. Although this hadith does not mention prepared horses, they were mentioned in a previous hadith, to which Imam Bukhari (rahimahullah) has alluded in the chapter heading; see Hadith 2867. Therefore, this hadith is not contrary to the chapter heading.

Hadith Commentary: The purpose of Imam Bukhari rahimahullah in this chapter is to clarify that the distance for racing trained (prepared) horses is six or seven miles, as is the distance between the place of Hafyaa and Thaniyyat al-Wada’, and for untrained (unprepared) horses, the distance is approximately one mile, which was the distance between Thaniyyat al-Wada’ and the mosque of Banu Zurayq.

Even in this mechanical age, the horse holds great importance for a civilized government.

The superiority of Arabian-bred horses is self-evident and needs no explanation.

In the era of the Messenger sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, such races were held to train horses, but nowadays, the races commonly held in cities, in which large sums of money are wagered on horses as gambling, are open gambling, which is absolutely forbidden (haram) according to the Shari’ah, and this is not hidden from anyone.

It is a matter of deep regret that common Muslims nowadays have lost the distinction between halal and haram, and many Muslims participate in these activities and are ruined by them.

In short, participating in horse races as they are conducted today is completely haram. May Allah protect every Muslim from this destruction.

Ameen

Hadith Commentary:
There are several points that must be considered regarding horse racing competitions, the details of which are as follows:
➊ The races between trained and untrained horses should be held separately.
➋ A fixed distance should be set for this race, as mentioned in this hadith.
➌ This race should be for significant military objectives, and mere amusement should not be the intention.
➍ The race should be conducted with riders; without them, there is a risk of the horses bolting.
➎ No conditions or wagers should be set from either side regarding this race; otherwise, it will be outright gambling, which is haram.
It should be noted that such competitions can also be held with horses, camels, humans, archery, and spear-throwing.

Hadith Commentary:
Vocabulary of the Hadith:
Adhmirat:
Tadmīr (تضمیر) is that the horse is first well-fed and given plenty to drink so that it becomes healthy and robust. Then, gradually, its fodder is reduced, and it is made to wear a covering and confined in a stable, so that it sweats profusely and dries out, its flesh decreases, so that it can run faster.

Benefits and Issues:
To race horses without compensation or without any condition is unanimously permissible. Similarly, if a prize is set for the winner or for all participants by one party or by the government, then this too is unanimously permissible. Likewise, if the amount is set by one side, it is still unanimously permissible. However, if there is a condition from both sides, then this is gambling, which is unanimously impermissible. In the same way, if two horse racers each set an amount from their own side, and a third horse, which has the potential to overtake, but it is not certain whether it will be ahead or behind, is included, then according to all the Imams except the Malikiyyah, this is still permissible. But according to the Malikiyyah, even in this case, it is not permissible. (Al-Mughni, vol. 12, p. 413).

Explanation:
1:
From this hadith, the permissibility of horse racing, archery, and spear throwing for the preparation of jihad is established. In the era of the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), these were generally the things used in warfare. In light of the hadith, it is necessary in today's era to gain experience in operating rockets, missiles, tanks, and armored vehicles, as well as to receive training in the use of guns, cannons, and all kinds of modern warfare equipment.

Benefits and Issues:
➊
When horses are kept, first they are fed and watered well so that they become plump and healthy.
Then, their food is gradually reduced.
And they are kept confined in a place.
And a cloth is also placed over them.
This causes them to sweat until their excess fat, etc., is eliminated.
In this way, they become very strong.
And their breathing becomes much less labored.
This process is called idhmār, and such horses are called mudhmar.
(With ḍammah on the first mīm and fatḥah on the second.)
➋
It is mentioned in the noble hadith that the distance from Hafyaa to Thaniyyat al-Wada‘ was five or six miles.
And from Thaniyyat al-Wada‘ to the Masjid of Banu Zurayq was one mile (Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, al-Jihād wa al-Siyar, ḥadīth: 2868).

Benefits and Issues:
➊
Keep the spirit of jihad alive within the Ummah, and it is extremely necessary and obligatory to make arrangements for these training matters in preparation for jihad.

➋
(Qarh) is the plural of qarih.
By this is meant a horse
that has entered its fifth year.

(1) "Tadmīr horses": This refers to those horses that were specially prepared for racing. The method was that for some time they would be well-fed and fattened, then gradually their food would be reduced, and the horse would be placed in a closed room and given burning coals, etc. Then it would be kept hungry so that, due to excessive sweating, the superfluous substances would be expelled from its body. As a result, it would become strong and robust, able to run well, and would neither sweat from running nor become short of breath. Such horses proved to be very useful in battle.

(2) The distance from Hafyā’ to Thaniyyat al-Wadā‘ was six miles, and from Thaniyyat al-Wadā‘ to the mosque of Banū Zurayq was one mile. This was the difference between tadmīr (prepared) and non-tadmīr (unprepared) horses.

(3) In order to obtain the best benefit, it is permissible to treat animals in such a way that involves more hardship and difficulty for them, such as keeping them hungry and confined in a room for tadmīr, etc.

(4) The attribution of a mosque can be made to its builder, and this attribution will be for distinction, not for ownership.

Benefits and Issues:
➊
“Tadmeer” refers to a special method of training horses.
Its method is that for some time the horse is well-fed and fattened, then its fodder is reduced and it is confined in a stable.
There, it sweats and dries off in the same place.
And thus, it can run longer distances without getting tired.

➋
(Hafyaa) and (Thaniyyatul-Wada’) are the names of two places between which there is a distance of three miles.

➌
From (Thaniyyatul-Wada’) to the mosque of Banu Zuraiq is a distance of one mile.

➍
For a competition over a long distance, the determination of a suitable distance is necessary.

➎
Banu Zuraiq is the name of a tribe.
Those people used to live near this mosque and would pray in it, so there is no harm in associating a mosque with a tribe or group for identification, even though all mosques belong to Allah.

Takhrij al-Hadith: [وأخرجه البخاري 420، ومسلم 95/1870، من حديث مالك به]
Fiqh
➊ Keeping and preparing horses for the battlefield is Sunnah.
➋ If there is no fear of gambling or the like, horse racing is permissible.
➌ Preparation and training for jihad is a continuous (all-time) practice.

Takhrij:
«أخرجه البخاري، الصلاة، باب هل يقال مسجد بني فلان، حديث:420، ومسلم، الإمارة، باب المسابقة بين الخيل وضميرها، حديث:1870.»©Explanation:
➊ From this hadith, the permissibility of horse racing, archery, and spear-throwing for the preparation of jihad is established.
In that era, these were generally the things used in warfare.
➋ In today's era, one should acquire training in operating tanks and armored vehicles.
Instead of arrows and spears, one should obtain training in the use of guns, cannons, and modern warfare equipment.

Takhrij:
«أخرجه أبوداود، الجهاد، باب في السبق، حديث:2577، وابن حبان (الإحسان): 7 /95، 96، حديث:4669.»©Explanation:
This hadith proves that animals should also be cared for and considered.
One should only require from an animal the amount of service that is in accordance with its strength and capacity.
It is not permissible to demand work from it beyond its strength and capacity.