Arab archery

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Arab archery is the traditional style of archery practiced by the Arab people of the West Asia and North Africa regions from ancient to modern times.

The style of Arab archery described in surviving texts is similar to that used by Mongol and Turkish archers, featuring the use of a thumb draw and a thumb ring to protect the right thumb.^[1][2] However, some medieval Muslim writers have noted differences between Arab archery and Turkish and Iranian styles, claiming that the bow used by Hejazi Arabs was superior.^[3]

A headstone of a Syrian archer was found along Hadrian's Wall and dates back to the 2nd century Common Era when 200 Syrian archers were sent to reinforce the 8,000 Roman soldiers. The tombstone is now displayed at the Great North Museum: Hancock.^[4]

From the 7th century onward, Arab archers used composite bows while shooting from foot, horseback, and camelback. They also utilized a variety of arrows, arrowheads, and shafts.^[5][6]

Muhammad is said to have been proficient with a bow and appreciated the benefits of archery in both sports and warfare. A recurved bow made of bamboo, attributed to Muhammad, is preserved in the Chamber of the Sacred Relics at the Topkapi Museum in Istanbul.^[7]

There are several comments by Muhammad concerning archery in the Hadith. Umm Salama told of Muhammed coming upon two groups practicing archery and praising them.^[8]

Malik ibn Anas spoke about the Battle of Uhud, where the troops abandoned Muhammad. However, the archer Talhah remained to protect him with his shield. Uqbah ibn Amir also revealed that Muhammad once said he preferred archery over riding.^[9][10]

Muhammad owned six bows: az-Zawra’, ar-Rauha’, as-Safra’, al-Bayda’, and al-Katum. Al-Katum was broken during the battle of Battle of Uhud, and was taken by Qatadah bin an-Nu’man and as-Saddad. He had a quiver called al-Kafur and a strap for it made from tanned skin, as well as three silver circular rings, a buckle, and an edge made of silver. According to a medieval Sunni scholar, "we should mention that Ibn Taymiyyah said that there are no authentic narrations that the Prophet ever wore a strap around his waist."^[11]

Camels were sometimes used in combat because they were taller and more resilient in desert warfare than horses. However, this was often more for transport rather than as a platform for shooting. An account describes an Arab archer dismounting from his camel, emptying his quiver on the ground, and kneeling to shoot.^[12][13]

Camel archery is also documented among non-Arab peoples. The Old Testament recounts how Joshua fought the Amalekites at Rephidim, who used camels for their archers. Similarly, Gideon fought against the Midianites and their camel-mounted archers during the time of the Judges.^[14]

Today, several Arab archery clubs and societies exist, some of which practice traditional Arab archery while others use Western styles in sport competitions and hunting. The main organization is FATA, or the "Fédération Arabe de Tir à L'Arc" of Lebanon, which is a member of the World Archery Federation. Archery competitions are also a feature of the Pan Arab Games, including the 12th Arab Games held in Qatar in 2011, where 60 archers from nine Arab countries competed.^[15]

• al-Sarakhsi al-Harawi, Kitab fada'il al-ramy fi sabil Allah, a collection of 38 hadiths on archery^[16]
• Mardi ibn Ali al-Tarsusi, Tabsirat arbab al-albab fi kayfiyyat al-najat fi al-hurub, a general treatise on arms and armour that gives pride of place to the bow (c. 1174)^[16]
• Ahmad ibn 'Abd Allah Muhibb al-Din al-Tabari, Kirab al-wadih fi ma'rifat 'ilm al-ramy (bef. 1295)^[17]
• al-Yunini, Kitab fi ma'rifat 'ilm ramy al-siham (c. 1317–1324)^[18]
• Taybugha al-Baklamishi, Ghunyat al-tullab fi ma'rifat al-ramy bi-l-nushshab (1368/9)^[19]
• Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyya, a treatise on Arab archery (14th century)^[20]
• Anonymous, A Book on the Excellence of the Bow and Arrow, from Morocco (c. 1350–1400)^[21]

• Chinese archery
• Kyūdō
• Turkish archery
• English longbow

• Boit, Bernard A. 1991. THE FRUITS OF ADVERSITY: TECHNICAL REFINEMENTS, OF THE TURKISH COMPOSITE BOW DURING THE CRUSADING ERA. (PDF) A Thesis Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the degree Master of Arts in the Graduate School of the Ohio State University by Lt. Bernard A. Boit, USAF.
• Faris, Nabih Amin, and Robert Potter Elmer. Arab Archery: An Arabic Manuscript of About A.D. 1500, "A Book on the Excellence of the Bow & Arrow" and the Description Thereof. Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press, 1986. 182 pages. Translation of "Kitāb fī bayān fadl al-qaws w-al-sahm wa-awsāfihima," no. 793 in Descriptive catalog of the Garrett collection of Arabic manuscripts in the Princeton University library.
• Jallon, Adnan Darwish (1980). Kitāb fī maʿrifat ʿilm ramy al-sihām: A Treatise on Archery by Ḥusayn b. ʿAbd al-Raḥmān b. Muḥammad b. ʿAbdallāh al-Yūnīnī [AH 647 (?) – 724 / AD 1249–50 (?) – 1324]. A Critical Edition of the Arabic Text together with a Study of the Work in English (PhD diss.). Victoria University of Manchester.
• Latham, J. D., W. F. Paterson, and Ṭaybughā. Saracen Archery: An English Version and Exposition of a Mameluke Work on Archery (Ca. A.D. 1368). (PDF) London: Holland P., 1970.
• McLeod, Wallace E. 1962. "Egyptian Composite Bows in New York." American Journal of Archaeology. Vol. 66, No. 1 (Jan., 1962), pp. 13–19
• Paterson, W. F. 1966. "The Archers of Islam." Journal of the Economic and Social History of the Orient. Vol. 9, No. 1/2 (Nov., 1966), pp. 69–87.
• Sukenik, Yigael. 1947. "The Composite Bow of the Canaanite Goddess Anath." Bulletin of the American Schools of Oriental Research. No. 107 (Oct., 1947), pp. 11–15.

• The Art of Shooting a Short Reflexed Bow with a Thumb Ring. 2012. By Adam Swoboda. Gdynia Press.