Is it permissible to contract for an archery contest between two groups before determining the superior archers within each group?
General Chapter
Al-Mughni
Book of Racing and Archery
Primary text
The jurist Al-Qadi permits contracting for the contest between two groups before determining the individual skills within each party; this is the position of the Shafi'i school. The objective of ascertaining skill is still met.
Supporting text
It is argued that contracting beforehand is impermissible because specification (ta'yin) is a condition, and before the assessment of skill, the specific individuals within each group are not determined. Under this view, the contract should only take place after the individuals have been assessed for their respective skills.