because camels are used by those fighting in Allah’s cause to carry their equipment; horses are used for charging and retreating; and arrows are used for shooting. By analogy, this also includes comparable modern instruments of war: tanks and the like resemble camels, missiles and the like resemble arrows, and aircraft and the like resemble horses. Thus, this category is permissible both with and without a prize.

His statement, “camels,” means that two people race their camels against one another.

His statement, “horses,” means that two people race their horses against one another.

His statement, “arrows,” means that two people compete using their arrows to see which of them hits the target.

The apparent meaning of the author’s words regarding camels and horses is that there is no difference between competing in racing and competing in carrying heavy loads. With regard to camels, this is clear, since camels are useful both for racing and for carrying heavy loads. With horses, however, there is some reservation about this, since horses are only useful in competition through racing.

Thus, the evidence for this is the Prophet’s saying, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him: “There is no prize”—that is, no stipulated compensation in a competition—“except in camels, horses, and arrows.” This text is explicit.

If someone were to say: This runs contrary to analogy, because it is gambling, as one of the two parties gains while the other incurs a loss.

The response is that some scholars excluded this case from gambling by saying that there must be a third participant with them who neither gains nor loses,