Archery does not cause muscle imbalance

15-5-2015 | IslamWeb

Question:

Assalamu alaikum. I'm sorry if this is a trivial question, but I know that the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) stressed archery, which means that archery is good for us, but wouldn't it cause muscle imbalances since one side of the body is being trained (using one arm to pull the string)? Also, is there any verse in the quran that mentions/hints about archery? Jazakallah khair.

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Answer:

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger.

It is not correct that archery causes an imbalance in the body's muscles because archery requires the use of both hands and that involves the strengthening of both hands when drawing, as it is inconceivable to draw back the arrow without using both hands.

This supposition is also rejected by what is witnessed today. The sports that people practice today, among which is archery, do not cause a muscle imbalance in the body. In fact, some sports, like tennis for example, require the use of only one hand but do not cause any such imbalance.

The Quran contains an indication of the virtue of archery, as explained in what Muslim reported in his Saheeh from ‘Uqbah ibn ‘Aamir : “I heard the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, read on the pulpit, {And prepare against them whatever you are able of power and of steeds of war} [Quran 8:60]; indeed power consists in shooting, indeed power consists in shooting, indeed power consists in shooting.”

As-San‘aani said in Subul As-Salaam: “The Hadeeth provides that the interpretation of power in the verse is shooting arrows because it was the custom in the time of the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam."

Allaah Knows best.