Daleels Regarding I'dad Askariy (Military Training)

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Know that archery and throwing at targets (at present it is shooting) exercises, learning them and competing to obtain a deep understanding of them, with the intention of jihad fie sabilillah, is a part of the sunnah. Rasulullah SAW emphasized it very much and invited us to do so with enthusiasm and seriousness!!!

There are so many virtues and benefits of shooting practices emphasized by Islam to its ummah, among others are:

Allah ‘azza wa jalla orders us to conduct shooting practices to prepare for jihad fie sabilillah.

Allah ‘azza wa jalla says:

“And prepare against them whatever you are able of power and of steeds of war by which you may terrify the enemy of Allah and your enemy and others besides them whom you do not know [but] whom Allah knows. And whatever you spend in the cause of Allah will be fully repaid to you, and you will not be wronged.” (Al-Anfal : 60).

Some madzhab ulama's have deemed it compulsory to learn and practice shooting or throwing in the framework of jihad fie sabilillah. And they made this verse as a daleel or basis for the askari training (and in today's term it is military training), because what was meant by strength here is throwing, namely studying the weapons, mortars, grenades, etc., which is a metaphor for the throwing at the time of Prophet Muhammad SAW.

Imam Muslim have narrated a saheeh hadith from Uqba bin Amir RA, he said: “I have heard from Rasulullah SAW and he was on the minbar when he read the verse: “And prepare against them whatever you are able of power and of steeds of war…”.

And then he said:

“Verily, strength is in throwing [i.e. shooting], verily strength is in throwing, verily strength is in throwing.” (HR. Muslim no. 1917)

Indeed, Allah ‘azza wa jalla rewards with Jannah the three groups that are involved in jihad fie sabilillah (associated with weapons), namely the makers of the weapons, those who use the weapons on the battlefield and those who provides the funds (to make or buy the weapons).

Rasulullah SAW said:

“Allah will enter three people into Jannah by one arrow. The first one is the maker who makes it with the intention of reward and the archer and the person who stands by, (passing it to the archer).”

And he said:

“Do archery and horse riding. To practice archery is more beloved to me than horse riding, and whoever forgets archery, disliking it after learning it, surely he has left a great bounty (or he said), he has been ungrateful to a bounty." (Saheeh at-Targheeb wat-Tarheeb and Abu Dawud)

It has been reported by 'Abd al-Rahman bin Shamasa that Fuqaym al-Lakhmi said to Uqba Bin Amir, "You frequently hit between these two targets. Being an old man, you must be finding it very hard, (meaning that why do you need to practice archery and targeting in this old age)?" Uqba Bin Amir RA said, "If I had not heard a hadith from Rasulullah SAW I would not take this difficulty." Harith RA (one of the narrators in the chain of transmitters) asked Ibn Shamasa, "Which hadith is that?" He replied that Rasulullah SAW said, "Whoever learns archery and then gives it up, is not from us or he would be guilty of disobedience to Allah's Apostle." (Muslim)

Indeed, Rasulullah SAW practiced archery (throwing) together with his Sahabahs RA.

Imam Bukhari rahimahullah narrated from Salamah bin Akwa’ RA, he said: “Once, the Prophet SAW passed by some people of the tribe of Bani Aslam who were practicing archery (but did not know the sunnah of archery). Rasulullah SAW said:

"O Bani Ismail practice archery as your father Ismail was a great archer. Keep on throwing arrows and I am with Bani so and so." So one of the parties ceased throwing. Rasulullah SAW said, "Why do you not throw?" They replied, "How can we throw while you are with them? (i.e. on their side)." At this Rasulullah SAW said, "Throw, and I am with all of you." (Bukhari)

This hadith indicates the permission of being ta’asub (fanatic) in the framework of training for strength in a good cause (encouragement) and in order to strengthen their hearts, for pleasure and excitement in the practice of throwing, and to please people who practice and burn their passion to love practicing archery. All those is with a good precondition, i.e. so as to to perpetuate the Sunnah of the Prophet, namely throwing (at the present time it is to practice shooting).

The practice of throwing (shooting) is a part of such a great cause and made as a Sunnah by the Prophet SAW.

Imam Muslim have narrated from Uqba bin Amir RA. He said: “That I heard the Messenger of Allah saying:

“In the near time you will gain land, Allah's help will suffice you, in that time and age none of you (should be weak/lazy) but to keep on practicing archery." (HR. Muslim No. 1918)

Imam An-Nasa’i and Imam Baihaqi have narrated from Atha’ bin Abi Rabbah: “I saw Jabir Bin Abdullah and Jabir Bin Umar al-Ansari doing archery. One of them got tired and sat down, so the other Sahabi (companion) said to him, "You have become lazy." I heard Rasulullah SAW saying:

"Everything which does not consist of Allah's zikr (remembrance) is laghwun (futility) and not useful, except for FOUR things: Someone who is practicing throwing at targets (with stones, woods, arrows, etc.), the training of the horse by a man, someone who teaches his family to play and someone who practice swimming." (Al-Mujtaha Li Nasa'i, 6/222-223, As-Sunan Al-Kubra Li Baihaqi, 10/14, it was said this hadith is saheeh).

Imam ibnu Nuhas rahimahullah described the target practice here as the practice solely made for the purpose of archery or throwing, such as made from a marked paper or leather. Then the paper or leather is targeted from a certain distance, or thrown at with arrows or spears to get to those targets.

Due to that, this target practice is very much and always emphasized so that the throwing ability and skill could be acquired. This was usually done by the Sahabahs of Rasulullah SAW and Umar bin Khattab RA had instructed his army in the jihad arenas to constantly practice throwing and continue to do so (to train at it).

Imam Al Bukhari rahimahullah narrated from Abu Utsman An-Nahdiy RA, he said: “The message of Umar bin Khattab RA has come to us and we were with Utbah bin Farqod RA, we were conducting jihad in Ajarbaizan, and in the letter or writing of Umar bin Khattab, it was written:

“Amma ba’du… Wear the izar (wrapper/sarung), wear the sandals, wear the rida' (outer wrapping garment/shawl), and throw away the shoes and long trousers. Wear the clothing of your father, Ismail, shun luxury living and wear the clothes of the commoners. Bask in the sun because it is a warm water bath of the Arabs. Have a rough lifestyle, have a shabby look, walk barefoot, do not get into the habit of riding (train for a long distance walk). Play with the horse with agility, practice target shooting and walk between the two (from the firing position to the firing target).” (Sunan Al-Kubra Al-Baihaqi, 10/14).

Whoever throws (with one throwing) in Allah's path. Allah Ta’ala will raise his status with that in Jannah.

Imam An-Nasaa’i, Al-Hakim and Ibnu Hibban narrated from Amru Bin Abasah RA, he said: “Once, we traveled around Tha'if with Rasulullah SAW, and I heard him saying:

“Whoever throws (one arrow) in Allah's path (fie sabilillah) he shall have the reward equivalent to freeing a slave and whoever throws and it reaches the enemy, while he is in fie sabilillah, so for him is Jannah.” Then Amru bin Abasah said: ".… and so on." (Sunan An-Nasa’i, 6/27. Mustadrak Al-Hakim, 2/45,…)

Amar Bin Abasa said that he heard Rasulullah SAW saying, "Whoever throws an arrow in Allah's path; reaching its target or not reaching its target, will receive the reward of freeing a slave. The reward of freeing a Muslim slave is that it will be a source of saving every part of one's body from Hell." (An-Nasa’i)

Imam An-Nasa’i and Ibnu Hibban narrated from Kaab Bin Marrah RA, he said: “I heard Raslulullah SAW saying:

"Whoever aims an arrow at the enemy, reaching him, Allah will raise one grade in Jannah in exchange for this deed! Ibn Nuham asked, "O Rasulullah, how much (distance) is that grade?" Rasulullah answered, "The distance of grades in Jannah is not similar to the distance of your houses, in fact the distance between two grades is the distance travelled for a hundred years." ( An-Nasa’i and Saheeh at-Targheeb wat-Tarheeb ).

Imam Ibnu Nuhas said:

“That even though the throwing (of the spear/arrow) does not reach the enemy, then verily Allah Ta’ala will give a reward for his deed, and increase manifold the reward.” (Mashari’ul Ashwaq – Imam Ibnu Nuhas, 164).

Uqba Bin Abdus Salami RA narrated that Rasulullah SAW commanded his Sahabahs on one occasion to get up and fight. Upon hearing this, one person threw an arrow towards the enemy. Rasulullah SAW said, "He has made Jannah compulsory upon himself (meaning that Jannah is compulsory for him)." (Saheeh at-Targheeb wat-Tarheeb)

Abu Hurayrah RA narrated that Rasulullah SAW said, "Whoever throws one arrow in the path of Allah there will be noor (a gifted light from Allah), for him on the day of Judgment." (Saheeh at-Targheeb wat-Tarheeb)

Narrated from Mohammad Bin Hanafi RA that he said, "I saw Abu Amar Ansari. Abu Amar Ansari is known amongst those Sahabahs who participated in the battle of Badr and Uhud and he had also given an oath to Rasulullah SAW in Aqaba." He further states, "I saw him in the battlefield, he was fasting and was in a critical condition of thirst. He told his slave, "Give me a shield." The slave did so. He aimed three arrows at the enemy in a state of weakness, then he said, “I heard Rasulullah SAW saying, "whoever threw an arrow at the enemy, irrespective of it reaching the enemy or not, there will be a noor (special light) for him on the day of Judgment." Abu Amar Ansari was Shaheed before Maghrib." (Saheeh at-Targheeb wat-Tarheeb)

Subhanallah… So how about the circumstance we are in, we who are neglecting these target practices a lot … Aren't we able and capable?! Even in limited conditions and means, it can be done. Don't be lazy Ya Akhi… Don't be lazy! Being lazy is the source of defeats and the paths of Satan… Practice… Practice… Practice!!! When the time comes ….. we will be brought to the maqam (station) of jihad, the maqam of amaliyat (applicative)… But practice first, so that there would be a reason for Allah to bring us to the maqam of amaliyat jihad…!!!

Walhamdulillahirabbil’alaamiin…

Source : KafilahMujahid