Take a look at some narrations from Sahaabah regarding this issue. Hadhrat `Umar ibn al-Khattaab
رضي الله عنه said, and this narration can be found in
Kanz al-`Ummaal of Muttaqi al-Hindi, from Mak-hool, who said:
عن مكحول أن عمر رضي الله عنه كتب إلى أهل الشام: أن علموا أولادكم السباحة والرمي والفروسية
"`Umar
رضي الله عنه wrote to the people of Shaam: "Teach your children swimming, archery and horse-riding."
This narration is also mentioned by Imaam al-Munaawi in "
Faydh al-Qadeer".
عن سلمه بن الأكوع رضي الله عنه قال: مر النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم على نفر من أسلم ينتضلون، فقال النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم: ارموا بني إسماعيل، فإن أباكم كان رامياً
Hadhrat Salamah ibn al-Akwa`
رضي الله عنه narrates: "Nabi
صلى الله عليه وسلم passed by a group (of Sahaabah) who were practicing archery, so he said, "Shoot, O Bani Ismaa`eel, for indeed your father (Ismaa`eel
عليه السلام) was an archer." [Narrated in Saheeh al-Bukhaari.]
[
Note: The Arabs are known as "Bani Ismaa`eel". The Jews are known as "Bani Israa'eel".]
عن أبي علي ثمامة بن شفي أنه سمع عقبة بن عامر يقول: سمعت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم وهو على المنبر يقول: وأعدوا لهم ما استطعتم من قوة، ألا إن القوة الرمي، ألا إن القوة الرمي، ألا إن القوة الرمي
Hadhrat Abu `Ali Thumaamah
رضي الله عنه narrates that he heard Hadhrat `Uqbah ibn `Aamir
رضي الله عنه saying: "I heard Rasoolullaah
صلى الله عليه وسلم saying while he was on the Mimbar (explaining the Aayah): "And prepare against them (the enemy) whatever you can of power." (He said): "Indeed, power is shooting. Indeed, power is shooting. Indeed, power is shooting." [Narrated in Saheeh Muslim.]
Just as Rasoolullaah
صلى الله عليه وسلم had predicted, things turned out. In these days, power lies in shooting. You can be the strongest man in the world, but one bullet to the head and you will die.