Mishkat al-Masabih

Salama b. al-Akwa‘ told that God’s Messenger went out to some people of Aslam who were having a shooting match in the suq* and said, “Shoot, sons of Ishmael, for your ancestor was an archer. I am supporting the B. so and so,” referring to one of the two parties. They then stopped, and when he asked what was the matter, they replied, “How can we shoot when you are supporting the B. so and so?” He said, “Shoot; I am supporting you all.” * Different explanations are given. It may be in the market-place (suq). Mirqat, iv, 202 is inclined to understand suq as the plural of saq (leg) and interpret it as meaning that they were on their feet, not riding camels. It has even been said that the reading is as-Sauq and that this is the name of a place; but I can find no reference to any such place. This all goes to show how difficult interpreters can make a passage seem when they let their imagination loose. Bukhari transmitted it.

Anas told that Abu Talha and the Prophet were both using one shield. Abu Talha was a good archer, and when he shot the Prophet looked over and watched where his arrows went. Bukhari transmitted it.

He reported God’s Messenger as saying, “Blessing rests on the forelocks of the horses.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Jarir b. ‘Abdallah told that he saw God’s Messenger twisting his finger in a horse’s forelock and saying, "The horses have good tied in their forelocks till the day of resurrection, i.e. reward and spoil.” Muslim transmitted it.

Abu Huraira reported God’s Messenger as saying, "If anyone reserves a horse in God’s path with faith in God and belief in His promise, its food, drink, dung and urine will be in his scale on the day of resurrection.” Bukhari transmitted it.

He said that God’s Messenger disliked horses with shikal, which means a horse having a white mark on its right hind leg and left foreleg, or on its right foreleg and left hind leg. Muslim transmitted it.

‘Abdallah b. ‘Umar told that God’s Messenger held race between the horses which had been made lean by training from al-Hafya’ to Thaniyat al-Wada’, a distance of six miles, and he held a race between the horses which had not undergone such training from the thaniya* to the mosque of the B. Zuraiq, a distance of a mile. * Thaniya is a mountain pass. Thaniyat al-Wada' is a pass overlooking Medina by which people went on the road to Mecca. (Bukhari and Muslim)

Anas told that God’s Messenger had a she-camel called al-‘Adba' which had not been outstripped by any other, but a nomadic Arab came on a young riding camel of his and it outstripped it. That distressed the Muslims, but God’s Messenger said, "It is God’s right that nothing should become exalted in the world without His lowering it.” Bukhari transmitted it.

the maker when he has a good motive in making it, the one who shoots it, and the one who hands it; so shoot and ride, but your shooting is more appreciated by me than your riding. Everything with which a man amuses himself is vain, except his shooting with his bow, his training of his horse, and his playing with his wife, for they pertain to what is right.” Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah transmitted it, and Abu Dawud and Darimi added, “If anyone abandons archery after becoming an adept through distaste for it, it is a blessing he has abandoned," or he said “for which he has been ungrateful."

Abu Najih as-Sulami told that he heard God’s Messenger say, “He who causes an arrow to hit its mark in God’s path will have it count as a degree for him in paradise, if anyone shoots an arrow in God’s path it is equivalent to his setting someone free, and if anyone develops a grey hair on behalf of Islam it will be a light for him on the day of resurrection." Baihaqi transmitted it in Shu'ab al-iman. Abu Dawud transmitted the first section, Nasa’i the first and second, and Tirmidhi the second and third. The version of Nasa’i and Tirmidhi has, “If anyone develops a grey hair in God’s path,” instead of “on behalf of Islam."

Abu Huraira reported God’s Messenger as saying, “Wagers are allowed only for shooting arrows, or racing camels or horses.” Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud and Nasa’i transmitted it.

He reported God's Messenger as saying, “If one enters a horse with two others there is no good in it if he is certain it cannot be beaten, but there is no harm if he is not." It is transmitted in Sharh as-sunna. In Abu Dawud’s version he said, “If one enters a horse with two others when he is not certain that it cannot be beaten, it is not gambling; but when one enters a horse with two others when he is certain it cannot be beaten, it is gambling."

‘Imran b. Husain reported God’s Messenger as saying, “There must be no shouting or leading another horse at one’s side."* Yahya added in his tradition, “when racing for a wager." * There must be no shouting to urge one’s horse on, and one must not take a horse alongside him to which he may transfer if he is afraid his horse may be beaten. Abu Dawud and Nasa’i transmitted it, and Tirmidhi transmitted it with an addition in the section on seizing forcibly.

Abu Qatada reported the Prophet as saying, “The best type of horse is the black one with a blaze on its face and a white spot on its upper lip* next comes the horse with a blaze on its face and white on the legs, except on a right one. If it is not black, then a dark bay horse with those markings.” * Artham. This may mean either that it has a white spot on its upper lip, or on the point of its nose. Tirmidhi and Darimi transmitted it.

Abu Wahb al-Jushami reported God’s Messenger as saying, ‘‘Keep to every dark bay horse with a white blaze and white on the legs, or sorrel with a white blaze and white on the legs, or black with a white blaze and white on the legs.” Aba Dawud and Nasa'i transmitted it.

Ibn ‘Abbas reported God's Messenger as saying, “The most favored horses are the sorrel.” Tirmidhi and Abu Dawud transmitted it.

‘Utba b. ‘Abd as-Sulami told that he heard God’s Messenger say, “Do not cut the forelocks, manes, or tails of horses, for their tails are their means of driving off flies, their manes provide them with warmth, and blessing is tied to their forelocks.” Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Aba Wahb al-Jushami reported God’s Messenger as saying, “Tie the horses, rub down their forelocks and rumps (or he said, their buttocks), and put things on their necks, but do not put bowstrings.”* * The reason for this is that bowstrings may injure them. Abu Dawud and Nasa’i transmitted it.

God’s Messenger was a servant under command who applied to us* only three things which he did not apply to the people in general. He ordered us to perform ablution fully, not to consume sadaqa, and not to make an ass cover a mare. * He means the members of the Prophet’s family. Tirmidhi and Nasa’i transmitted it.

‘Ali told that God's Messenger was presented with a she-mule which he rode, so ‘Ali said, “If we made asses cover mares we would have animals of this type,” to which God’s Messenger replied, “Only those who do not know do that.” Abu Dawud and Nasa’i transmitted it.