Imam Ibn al-Qayyim said, “Wagering on matters that openly manifest Islam, displaying its proofs and evidences, is truer and more deserving of permissibility than wagering on archery or horse racing.”

For a race or shooting match to be valid, five conditions must be fulfilled:

1. The two mounts must be designated and inspected before the start.
2. The mounts must belong to the same class, and the individual archers must be named, for the purpose is to gauge their skill and mastery.
3. The distance must be fixed so that the winner and the one who hits the mark are clearly known; this requires precise start and finish points identical for both sides, for the aim is to determine who comes first, and that can only be achieved with an equal end line.
4. The prize must be specified and lawful.
5. The contest must be free of any resemblance to gambling: the stake must come from someone other than the competitors, or from only one of them.

If the prize money is put up by both contestants, the scholars differ: is it permissible as is, or is it only allowed when a muḥallil—a third entrant who shares in the gain yet bears no loss—takes part? Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (d. 728 AH) chose the view that a muḥallil is not required, saying, “Dispensing with the muḥallil is preferable, closer to justice than placing the stake on only one side, and more effective in achieving the intended purpose….”