for whenever one of them scores ten hits out of twenty, for example, and the other says, “I can do it in thirty,” while no fixed number of arrows has been agreed upon, he has no right to make that claim. It would leave the lead indeterminate, and the other might respond, “I shall keep shooting until I outdo you.”

If it is suggested that the problem disappears once they equalize the number of arrows, the answer is (1): the dispute still does not cease, for he can always say to his companion (2), “Shoot until you draw level with me.”

Furthermore, if they have set no limit, their shooting may continue endlessly without either of them scoring, so that neither (3) enables the other to secure his victory, each saying, “We are still shooting until one of us prevails.”

Such an arrangement is highly unsound and far removed from the principles of the Sharia, especially according to those who categorize this contract with juʿālah (reward-based undertakings) and leases. Allah alone grants success.

From all this it is clear that archery competitions are of four kinds: differential scoring (mufāḍalah), offset scoring (muḥāṭṭah), race-to-the-mark (mubādara), and long-distance shooting (mubāʿada). All are permissible except mubāʿada, about which there is disagreement, and no proof exists for prohibiting it.

Section

If they stipulate hitting a particular spot on the target, on the understanding that whoever lands nearer to it nullifies