Archery
A legitimate sport is archery and javelin throwing as well.
When the Prophet ﷺ saw the Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, engaged in archery, he would encourage them and say: Shoot arrows, and I am with you.
For the Prophet ﷺ, archery was not merely a game or a pastime, but rather a kind of strength, the provision of which Allah Himself has commanded:
وَأَعِدُّوا لَهُمْ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُمْ مِنْ قُوَّةٍ
“And prepare against them whatever you are able of power.”
Accordingly, the Prophet ﷺ explained this verse as follows:
ألا إن القوة الرمي، ألا إن القوة الرمي، ألا إن القوة الرمي
“Listen! Strength is in archery. Listen! Strength is in archery. Listen! Strength is in archery.”
He also said:
عليكم بالرمي فإنه من خير لهوكم
“Learn archery, for it is the best game.”
However, the Prophet ﷺ forbade targeting domestic animals and the like. Some Arabs in the pre-Islamic era were accustomed to this. Sayyiduna Abdullah ibn Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, saw some people doing such acts and said: The Prophet ﷺ cursed the one who targets any living creature with a soul.
The Prophet ﷺ cursed this because it causes pain to the animal and results in the loss of its life. Furthermore, it is also a loss of property. In no way is it befitting for a person to cause harm to any living creature for the sake of his amusement.
For the same reason, the Prophet ﷺ forbade making animals fight each other.
The owner would incite two rams or two bulls to fight each other with their horns until they killed each other, yet they would be pleased watching this spectacle. Scholars say the Prophet ﷺ forbade making animals fight because it causes pain to the animals and is a useless and futile act.
Throwing a Spear
Like archery, javelin throwing is also a game. The Prophet ﷺ allowed the Abyssinians to play the javelin game in the Prophet’s Mosque and also permitted Lady Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) to watch their game. Hazrat Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) wanted to stop the Abyssinians from this, but the Prophet ﷺ said: Umar, leave them alone.
By allowing this game in the mosque, the Prophet ﷺ demonstrated great generosity and broad-mindedness so that both religion and worldly life could be combined. It was not merely a game but also exercise and training. In light of the mentioned hadith, scholars say that the mosque is the center of all matters of Muslims; therefore, any work that benefits religion and the people of religion is permissible to be performed in it. Muslims of the present age should reflect on this bitter reality of how their mosques have become devoid of the realities and strength of life!
Riding a Horse
Allah Almighty says:
وَالْخَيْلَ وَالْبِغَالَ وَالْحَمِيرَ لِتَرْكَبُوهَا وَزِينَةً
“He created horses, mules, and donkeys for you to ride and as an adornment.”
And the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:
الخيل معقود بنواصيها الخير
“The foreheads of horses are tied with goodness.”
He also said:
ارموا واركبوا
“Shoot arrows and ride horses.”
Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Teach your children swimming and archery and tell them to leap onto horses and ride them.
Sayyiduna Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said that the Prophet (peace be upon him) organized horse races and gave a prize to the one who took the lead.
This was to encourage horse racing because it is both exercise and training. Sayyiduna Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) was asked whether you people used to bet during the time of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and whether the Prophet (peace be upon him) himself used to bet? He replied: Yes! By Allah! The Prophet (peace be upon him) bet on a horse named Subhah, and it took the lead over all others, and seeing this the Prophet (peace be upon him) was pleased.
Permissible betting is when the prize is not from the parties participating in the race but from someone else, or only from one party. But if the prize is from both parties, meaning whoever takes the lead will get the prize, then this is gambling which is prohibited. The Prophet (peace be upon him) described horses used for gambling as satanic horses and declared their price and so on as sinful.
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: Horses are of three types: one for the Most Merciful, one for humans, and one for Satan. The horse for the Most Merciful is tied for the cause of Allah. The horse for Satan is used for gambling (racing). The horse for humans is kept for breeding and becomes a means to remove neediness.
