[VIDEO] The art of archery: a spiritual mark

THE bow and arrow carry a certain charm that when it is studied long enough, the primitive facade fades and the discipline it carries exudes.

There is a story within Islamic teachings, that Jibril (Gabriel) was given a bow and two arrows by the Almighty to Adam to be rid of the crows that were stealing from the prophet’s crops.

This was the start of a historic tale that tells us of how the first archer and the use of the device as a tradition came to be.

To devotees, Islam is not religion alone and is a complete way of living. So the story carries significant importance on survival and security.

“There is a specific hadith that highlights the strength in archery, and it is repeated more than once,” shared retired mechanical engineer Sufyan Mohd Salleh.

The 61-year-old founder of Taming Sari Archery was busy attending to his collection of bows when The Vibes Culture & Lifestyle met him at his residence in a village 30 minutes away from Melaka centre.

“What I mean by this is that archery as a sport can present you with the resilience that dives into many aspects, both physically and emotionally. That comes from mastering the precision and control that the instrument demands from its master.

“For Muslims, anything that was done by our Prophet is seen as a Sunnah (the way of the prophet). And I believe this is one of many reasons why most of us are attracted by the activity,” explained Sufyan further.

While archery over centuries has been documented and portrayed as a means for hunting and combat (usually in warfare) across different cultures, the practice is not necessarily rendered obsolete because archery today is mostly seen as a competitive as well as a recreational sport.

After retiring professionally as an engineer, Sufyan was still adamant to get involved in projects that offered him a challenge. His spirit to design and build could not be put out so easily, “and that is what led me to start this business.”

*Discover the uniqueness of Taming Sari bows and Sufyan’s targeted passion in the video interview below…