2 – Yūsuf ibn Aḥmad, better known as Ibn Sulaymānāh (1).
At the close of his critical remarks on the author he writes:
“…What you have mentioned may lead someone who has seen nothing of this learned Imām’s writings except this book to belittle his rank. That is not the case. The man in question is one of the foremost imams in the various branches of knowledge. Turn to his works in the theoretical sciences—both those grounded in the Sharīʿah and those based on rational inquiry; couriers have carried them far and wide, and the discerning scholars of our age have vied to obtain them. Excellence is prized at all times, and the words of this scholar continue to be sought by both supporters and critics. Truth proclaims itself. May Allah have mercy on him, reward his striving, raise his station among the righteous, benefit him through what he has sent ahead, and make us among those who speak the truth and act upon it, seeking thereby what is with Allah Most High …”
He also said:
“…In sum, may Allah reward his efforts. If a scholar had achieved nothing in a discipline except to verify a single well-established issue, that alone would be an accomplishment—so what of all that he, may Allah have mercy on him, has set forth? With Allah Most High lies success.”

3 – Muḥammad ibn ʿAbd al-Raḥmān al-Sakhāwī (d. 902 AH).
In his book al-Qawl al-Tām fī Faḍl al-Ramī bi’l-Sihām (fol. 57a–b) he reproduces what Ibn al-Qayyim transmitted from his teacher Ibn Taymiyyah: “It has been reported that a group of people were competing in archery, and it was said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, the prayer time has arrived.’ He replied, ‘They are in prayer.’” Thus he likened arrow-shooting to prayer itself—and that alone suffices as proof of its merit.
The passage appears verbatim in al-Furūsiyyah (p. 77).