Hazrat Muhammad bin Ishaaq رحمه الله تعالى narrates:
The Sahaabah رضي الله تعالى عنهم of Rasulullah صلى الله تعالى عليه وسلم would (in the early days of Islam) go into the valleys when performing Salaah so that they would be able to keep their Salaah hidden from the disbelievers (and thus avoid persecution). Once, while Hazrat Sa’d رضي الله تعالى عنه was with a group of Sahaabah رضي الله تعالى عنهم in one of valleys of Makkah Mukarramah, a group of disbelievers discovered them and began to condemn the Sahaabah رضي الله تعالى عنهم and criticize their Deen. This led to a fight breaking out between these Sahaabah رضي الله تعالى عنهم and the disbelievers, during which Hazrat Sa’d رضي الله تعالى عنه inflicted a head wound to one of the disbelievers by striking his skull with the jaw bone of a camel. This was the first fight (from the beginning of Islam wherein the Sahaabah رضي الله تعالى عنهم wounded the kuffaar and) in which blood was shed for the cause of Islam. (Usdul Ghaabah 2/308)
THE FIRST ARROW FIRED FOR ISLAM
Hazrat Sa’d رضي الله تعالى عنه was part of the army that Rasulullah صلى الله تعالى عليه وسلم had sent under Hazrat ‘Ubaidah bin Haarith رضي الله تعالى عنه to Raabigh in order to intercept the caravan of the Quraish. During this expedition, the Sahaabah رضي الله تعالى عنهم and the Quraish fired arrows at one another, and the first Muslim to fire an arrow in the path of Allah was Hazrat Sa’d رضي الله تعالى عنه.
It was regarding this occasion that Hazrat Sa’d رضي الله تعالى عنه recited the following poetry:
ألا هل أتى رسول الله أني حميت صحابتي بصدور نبلي
أذود بها عدوهم ذيادا بكل حزونة وبكل سهل
فما يعتد رام من معد بسهم في سبيل الله قبلي
Did the news reach Rasulullah صلى الله تعالى عليه وسلم that I protected my companions with my arrows?
I effectively repelled their enemies with my arrows, in every hard land and in every soft land.
Hence, no archer from Ma’ad, before me, is counted among those who fired an arrow in the path of Allah Ta‘ala.
(Isaabah 3/64)
REFLECTIONS
We should try to learn and become proficient in archery, rather than engaging in other futilities.
It is mentioned that Imam Shafiee رحمه الله تعالى made Dua before drinking Zam Zam to become proficient at archery. Through the barakat of this Dua he would get his target 9 out of 10 times.