Silsilah as-Sahihah 2116 — Encouragement for archery

It is narrated from Abdur Rahman bin Shumasah that Faqim Lakhmi said to Sayyiduna Uqbah bin Amir (may Allah be pleased with him): "You keep going back and forth between these two marks, even though you are elderly and this act must be difficult for you." Sayyiduna Uqbah said: "If I had not heard a hadith from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), I would not have put myself through this hardship." Harith said: "I asked Ibn Shumasah: What is that hadith?" He said: "The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: 'Whoever learns archery and then abandons it, he is not one of us.' Or the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: 'He has disobeyed.'"

Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) passed by a group of his companions who were practicing archery, and he said: "O children of Ismail! Practice archery, for your father was an archer."