REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Equestrian sport and archery is one of the sports favored by the Prophet. This sport is often contested at various levels. The fundamental challenge is it possible to hold a race of both branches of the sport?
Abu Abdillah Muhammad ibn Qasim bin Muhammad al-Ghazi ibn al-Gharabili, in his Fath al-Qarib al-Mujib fi Syarhi alfazh at-Taqrib or al-Qawl al-Mukhtar fi Sharh Ghayat al-Ikhtishar, explains that conducting a race such as horse racing or archery is permissible in Islamic sharia under certain conditions. Regarding the animals that are raced, not all animals can be used for the race.
Al-Ghazi explained that the animals that can be used for the race are horses and camels. In another opinion, some also allow bighals and donkeys.
To be known, the bighal was a cross between a horse and a donkey which was the best breed of horse in those days.
Meanwhile, animals that should not be used in a race include cattle, sheep fighting, and cockfighting, whether with prizes or not.
Unfortunately, Indonesians are still jumping over these banned animals.
Related to the archery race itself, its laws allowed using darts. In this book, al-Ghazi explains the rules of archery. He also explained about the law of prizes awarded in the race.