Articles on Zamzam Water

Come the Hajj season, and I am reminded of the wonders of Zamzam water. Let me go back to how it all started. In 1971, an Egyptian doctor wrote to the European Press, a letter saying that Zamzam water was not fit for drinking purposes. I immediately thought that this was just a form of prejudice against the Muslims and that since his statement was based on the assumption that since the Ka`bah was a shallow place (below sea level) and located in the center of the city of Makkah, the wastewater of the city collecting through the drains fell into well holding the water.

Fortunately, the news came to King Faisal's ears who got extremely angry and decided to disprove the Egyptian doctor's provocative statement. He immediately ordered the Ministry of Agriculture and Water Resources to investigate and send samples of Zamzam water to European laboratories for testing the potability of the water.

The ministry then instructed the Jeddah Power and Desalination Plants to carry out this task. It was here that I was employed as a desalting engineer (chemical engineer to produce drinking water from sea water). I was chosen to carry out this assignment. At this stage, I remember that I had no idea what the well holding the water looked like. I went to Makkah and reported to the authorities at the Ka`bah explaining my purpose of visit.

They deputed a man to give me whatever help was required. When we reached the well, it was hard for me to believe that a pool of water, more like a small pond, about 18 by 14 feet, was the well that supplied millions of gallons of water every year to Hajis ever since it came into existence at the time of Hazrat Ibrahim, peace and blessings be upon him, many, many centuries ago.

I started my investigations and took the dimensions of the well. I asked the man to show me the depth of the well. First he took a shower and descended into the water. Then he straightened his body. I saw that the water level came up to just above his shoulders.

His height was around five feet, eight inches. He then started moving from one corner to the other in the well (standing all the while since he was not allowed to dip his head into the water) in search of any inlet or pipeline inside the well to see from where the water came in. However, the man reported that he could not find any inlet or pipeline inside the well.

I thought of another idea. The water could be withdrawn rapidly with the help of a big transfer pump which was installed at the well for the Zamzam water storage tanks. In this way, the water level would drop enabling us to locate the point of entry of the water. Surprisingly, nothing was observed during the pumping period, but I knew that this was the only method by which you could find the entrance of the water to the well. So I decided to repeat the process. But this time I instructed the man to stand still at one place and carefully observe any unusual thing happening inside the well. After a while, he suddenly raised his hands and shouted,

"Alhamdullillah! I have found it. The sand is dancing beneath my feet as the water oozes out of the bed of the well."

Then he moved around the well during the pumping period and noticed the same phenomenon everywhere in the well.

Actually the flow of water into the well through the bed was equal at every point, thus keeping the level of the water steady. After I finished my observations I took the samples of the water for European laboratories to test. Before I left the Ka`bah, I asked the authorities about the other wells around Makkah. I was told that these wells were mostly dry.

When I reached my office in Jeddah I reported my findings to my boss who listened with great interest but made a very irrational comment that the Zamzam well could be internally connected to the Red Sea . How was it possible when Makkah is about 75 kilometers away from the sea and the wells located before the city usually remains dry? The results of the water samples tested by the European laboratories and the one we analyzed in our own laboratory were found to be almost identical.

The difference between Zamzam water and other water (city water) was in the quantity of calcium and magnesium salts.

The content of these was slightly higher in Zamzam water. This may be why this water refreshes tired Hajis, but more significantly, the water contains fluorides that have an effective germicidal action. Moreover, the remarks of the European laboratories showed that the water was fit for drinking.

Hence the statement made by the Egyptian doctor was proved false. When this was reported to King Faisal he was extremely pleased and ordered the contradiction of the report in the European Press. In a way, it was a blessing that this study was undertaken to show the chemical composition of the water. In fact, the more you explore, the more wonders surface and you find yourself believing implicitly in the miracles of this water that Allah bestowed as a gift on the faithful coming from far and wide to the desert land for pilgrimage.

Let Me Sum Up Some of the Features of Zamzam Water.

This well has never dried up. On the contrary it has always fulfilled the demand for water. It has always maintained the same salt composition and taste ever since it came into existence. Its potability has always been universally recognized as pilgrims from all over the world visit Ka`bah every year for Hajj and `Umrah, but have never complained about it. Instead, they have always enjoyed the water that refreshes them. Water tastes different at different places.

Zamzam water's appeal has always been universal. This water has never been chemically treated or chlorinated as is the case with water pumped into the cities. Biological growth and vegetation usually takes place in most wells. This makes the water unpalatable owing to the growth of algae causing taste and odor problems.

But in the case of the Zamzam water well, there wasn't any sign of biological growth. Centuries ago, Hajar searched desperately for water in the hills of Safa and Marwah to give to her newly born son Isma`il, peace and blessings be upon him. As she ran from one place to another in search of water, her child rubbed his feet against the sand. A pool of water surfaced, and by the grace of Allah, shaped itself into a well which came to be called Zamzam water.

History of Zamzam Water

Zamzam is the name of a famous well in al-Masjid al-Haraam [the Sacred Mosque in Makkah], which is thirty-eight cubits away from the Ka’bah. It is the well of Ismaa’eel the son of Ibraaheem (peace and blessings of Allah be upon them both), from which Allah quenched the thirst of Ismaa’eel when he was an infant. His  mother looked for water for him, but could not find any. She climbed to the top  of al-Safaa, praying to Allah to help her and give her water for Ismaa’eel, then  she climbed to the top of al-Marwah and did the same. Allah sent Jibreel, and  he struck the earth with his heels, and water appeared. The scholars (may Allaah have mercy on them) agreed that it is mustahabb 
(recommended) for pilgrims on Hajj and ‘Umrah in particular, and for all Muslims in general, to drink Zamzam water, because of the saheeh hadeeth in which the Prophet (peace be upon him) is reported to have drunk the water of Zamzam. (Reported by al-Bukhaari, 3/492). According to the 
hadeeth of Abu Dharr (may Allaah be pleased with him), the Prophet (peace be upon him) said concerning the water of Zamzam, “It is a blessing, and it is food that satisfies.” (Reported by Muslim, 4/1922). Al-Tayaalisi (61) added, in a version that he narrated: “and a cure for the sick.” 
I.e., drinking the water of Zamzam means that a person does not need to eat, and it will cure his sickness – but this is when he drinks it with faith and sincerity, as proven in the hadeeth of Abu Dharr al-Ghifaari who stayed in Makkah for a month without any nourishment except Zamzam water. Al-‘Abbaas ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib (may Allaah be pleased with him) said:“The people used to compete over Zamzam during the time of Jaahiliyyah. People who had children used to bring them and give them to drink, and this was their early-morning rituals. We used to think that it was a help for people who had children.” Al-‘Abbaas said: “During the Jaahiliyyah, Zamzam was known as Shabaa’ah (satisfaction).”Al-‘Allaamah al-Abbi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: “(The water) is for whatever purpose it is drunk for, and Allaah made it food and drink for Ismaa’eel and his mother Haajar.”Ibn al-Mubaarak entered Zamzam and said, “O Allaah, Ibn al-Mu’ammal told me, from Abu’l-Zubayr from Jaabir that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: ‘The water of Zamzam is for whatever purpose it is drunk for,’ so, O Allaah, I am drinking it (to quench) my thirst on the Day of Resurrection.”

Virtues and characteristics of the water of Zamzam :

The two angels washed the heart of the Prophet (peace be upon him) when he was  a child, after they had taken it out, then they put it back. Al-Haafiz al-‘Iraaqi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: “The reason why the Prophet’s chest was washed with Zamzam water was to make him stronger so that he could see the kingdom of heaven and earth, and Paradise and Hell, because one of the special qualities of Zamzam is that it strengthens the heart and calms the soul. The report about the chest of the Prophet (peace be upon him) being washed with the water of Zamzam is proven in the hadeeth of Abu Dharr (may Allaah be pleased with him), who reported that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “My roof was opened when I was in Makkah, and Jibreel (peace be upon him) came down and opened my chest, then he washed it with Zamzam water. Then he brought a gold basin full of wisdom and faith, poured it into my chest, and closed it up again. Then he took me by the hand and ascended with me into the first heaven.”(Reported by al-Bukhaari, 3/429). It is sunnah to drink one’s fill of Zamzam water and to quench one’s thirst.

The fuqaha’ have mentioned the etiquette that is mustahabb (recommended) when drinking Zamzam water, such as

As regards the hadeeth of Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him), who said, “I gave the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) Zamzam water to drink whilst he was standing,” (reported by al-Bukhaari, 3/492), it is taken to mean that it is permissible to drink whilst standing, and the disapproval of doing so is understood to mean that it is makrooh. The scholars also recommended that the person who drinks Zamzam water should sprinkle some of it on his head, face and  chest, make lots of du’aa’ when drinking it, and to drink it for a purpose that will benefit him in this world or the next, because of the hadeeth in which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The water of Zamzam is for whatever purpose it is drunk for.” (Reported by Ibn  Maajah, 2/1018; see Al-Maqaasid al-Hasanah by al-Sakhaawi, p. 359). It was reported that when Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him) drank from the water of Zamzam, he said: “O Allaah, I ask you for beneficial knowledge, plentiful provision and healing from every disease.”

Al-Daynoori reported that al-Humaydi said: “We were with Sufyaan ibn ‘Uyaynah, and he told us the hadeeth about the water of Zamzam being drunk for whatever purpose it is drunk for. A man got up and left the gathering, then he came back and said, ‘O Abu Muhammad, is the hadeeth which you told us about the water of Zamzam saheeh?’ He said, ‘Yes.’ The man said, ‘Just now I drank a bucket of Zamzam so that you would tell me one hundred hadeeths.’ Sufyaan said, ‘Sit down,’ 
so he sat down and he told him one hundred hadeeths.” Some fuqaha’ recommended that people should take some Zamzam water back with them to their countries, because it is a cure for those
who seek healing. ‘Aa’ishah reported that she took Zamzam water home with her in bottles, and said, “The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) took some of it away with him, and he used to pour it on the sick and give it to them to drink.”(Reported by al-Tirmidhi, 4/37).

The fuqaha’ agreed that it is permissible to use Zamzam water to purify oneself, but they advised that it should not be used for  any inappropriate purposes such as removing najaasah (impurity)  and so on. Al-‘Allaamah al-Bahooti (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in his book Kashshaaf al-Qinaa’: “Only this (using Zamzam water to remove najaasah) is considered to be makrooh, out of respect, but it  is not makrooh to use it to purify oneself, because ‘Ali said: ‘The Messenger of Allaah peace be upon him) departed (from Muzdalifah) and called for  a bucket of Zamzam water. He drank from it, then did wudoo’.  (Reported by ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Ahmad with a saheeh isnaad).”  (See Nayl al-Awtaar, Kitaab al-Tahaarah, Baab Tahooriyyat al-Bahr). Al-Haafiz al-Sakhaawi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in  Al-Maqaasid al-Hasanah: “Some people said that the virtue (of Zamzam water) remains only so long as it is in its place (of origin), and that when it is taken away,it changes. This is an idea that has no basis. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) wrote to Suhayl ibn ‘Amr: “If my letter reaches you at night, do not wait until morning, and if it reaches you during the day, do not wait until evening, to send me some Zamzam water.” He sent him two 
containers full, and at that time he was in Madeenah, before the Conquest  of Makkah. This hadeeth is hasan because of corroborating evidence.  ‘Aa’ishah also used to take Zamzam water away with her, and she reported  that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to do this; 
he used to carry it in small vessels and buckets, and pour it onto the sick  and give it to them to drink. Whenever a guest visited Ibn ‘Abbaas he would honour him by giving him Zamzam to drink. ‘Ata’ was asked about taking Zamzam water away, and he said: “The Prophet (peace be upon him), al-Hasan and al-Husayn all took it away with them.”And Allaah knows best. (See: Fath al-Baari,
3/493; al-Mughni, 3/445; Nihaayat al-Muhtaaj, Shifa’ al-Gharaam bi Akhbaar al-Balad al-Haraam, by al-‘Iraaqi, 1/258)

The virtues of Zamzam water What is the status of Zamzam water? What are its virtues? Why are Muslims so keen on Zamzam water?

Praise be to Allaah.

Imaam Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: Zamzam water is the best and noblest of all waters, the highest in status, the dearest to people, the most precious and valuable to them. It was dug by Jibreel and is the water with which Allaah quenched the thirst of Ismaa’eel.
It was reported in Saheeh Muslim that the Prophet SAWS (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said to Abu Dharr, who had stayed near the Ka’bah and its coverings for forty days and nights 
with no food or drink other than (Zamzam): “How long have you been here?” Abu Dharr said: “I have been here for thirty days and nights.” The Prophet SAWS (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, “Who has been feeding you?” He said, “I have had nothing but Zamzam water, and I have gotten so fat that I have folds of fat on my stomach. I do not feel any of the tiredness or weakness of hunger and I have not become thin.” The Prophet SAWS (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Verily, it is blessed, it is food that nourishes.”(Narrated by Imaam Muslim, 2473).

Other scholars added, with their own isnaads, “… and a healing  for sickness.” This was narrated by al-Bazzaar (1171, 1172) and  al-Tabaraani in al-Sagheer (295). In Sunan Ibn Maajah (al-Manaasik, 3062) it was reported from Jaabir ibn ‘Abd-Allaah that the Prophet  SAWS (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:  “The water of Zamzam is for whatever it is drunk for.” The Salaf  and ‘ulamaa’ acted upon this Hadeeth. When ‘Abd-Allaah ibn al-Mubaarak  went for Hajj, he came to Zamzam and said, “O Allaah, Ibn Abi’l-Mawaali told us from Muhammad ibn al-Munkadir from Jaabir (may Allaah be  pleased with him) that Your Prophet SAWS (peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him) said, ‘The water of Zamzam is for whatever it is drunk for.’ I am drinking it to ward off thirst on the Day of Resurrection.” Ibn Abi’l-Mawaali  is thiqah (trustworthy) so the hadeeth is hasan (good). Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: Myself and others tried seeking healing with Zamzam water and saw wondrous things. I sought healing with it from a number of illnesses, and I was healed by the permission of Allaah. I saw someone who nourished  himself with it for a number of days, half a month or more, and he  did not feel hunger; he performed Tawaaf along with the other people  just as they did. And he told me that he consumed nothing but  Zamzam water for forty days and he had the strength to have  intercourse with his wife, to fast and to perform Tawaaf numerous times. Zaad al-Ma’aad, 4/319, 320. Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah preserve him) said: So you should have the intention of what you want to gain by  drinking this water. He should drink his fill, i.e., fill his stomach with it until it is filled to the ribs, because this water is good. A hadeeth has  been narrated concerning this: the difference between the believers  and the hypocrites is drinking one’s fill of Zamzam water. (Narrated by  Ibn Maajah in al-Manaasik, 1017; al-Haakim, 1/472).Al-Boosairi said:  this is a saheeh isnaad; its men are mawthooqoon [trustworthy].

This is because Zamzam water is not sweet; it is somewhat salty,  and the believer only drinks this somewhat salty water out of faith,  believing that there is barakah (blessing) in it. So when he drinks 
his fill of it, this is a sign of faith. (Sharh al-Mumti’, 7/377, 378, 379). Perhaps Allaah did not make it sweet so that people would not  forget that the meaning of drinking it is an act of worship. Whatever  the case, its taste is fine and there is nothing wrong with it. We ask  Allaah to quench our thirst from the Cistern (al-Hawd) of His Prophet  on the Day of the greatest thirst. May Allaah bless our Prophet  Muhammad, Ameen.

Zamzam: Notes and Facts

What's cool, refreshing and will quench your thirst in the hot, Arabian desert?

If you answered (fill in the name of the latest fad soft drink), you're wrong.

Zamzam is the name of the well that provides the water billions of people have thirstily drunk from throughout history, especially during the Hajj pilgrimage.

It is linked to some of the most important personalities in world history: the Prophets Abraham and Ismail (peace be upon them) and Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), as well as Ismail's mother Hajira (may Allah be pleased with her).

The Zamzam well is located in Makkah, which is the heart of the Hajj pilgrimage. Standing only a few meters east of the Kaba, the well is 35 meters deep and topped by an elegant dome.

How the Zamzam came into being

All traditions agree that Allah created the well to provide Hajira, the wife of Prophet Abraham (peace be upon him), and her baby Prophet Ismail (peace be upon him) with water in the hot, dry valley they were in.

In her desperate search for water, Hajira ran seven times back and forth in the scorching heat between the two hills of Safa and Marwa to provide for her baby who was dying of thirst. Today, this same act is a necessary rite of Hajj all Muslims, mothers and fathers, must complete.

Prophet Ibraham settled his family there as part of God's mission for him. The first thing Hajira had to do then, was to look for water in the area. She was searching for it while watching at her son and would run whenever she could not see Ismail. Allah saw her effort and miraculously blessed the spot with a water spring.

The Zamzam before the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him)

The appearance of the Zamzam began the settlement of the Makkan valley, where the descendants of Prophet Ismail populated the area.

But as time passed, Prophet Ibrahim and Ismail's monotheistic message which once dominated the region began taking a backseat to pagan, polytheistic beliefs.

Nonetheless, the well of Zamzam retained its importance in later generations. The grandfather of the Prophet, Abdul Muttalib, was honored with the responsibility of taking care of the well and the pilgrims to Makkah.

Zamzam water: the power drink

One of the miracles of Zamzam water is its ability to satisfy both thirst and hunger.

One of the Companions of the Prophet said that before Islam, the water was called "Shabbaa'ah" or satisfying. It was filling and helped them nourish their families.

After Islam, this powerful ability to quench thirst and fill stomachs remained. The Prophet said: "The best water on the face of the earth is the water of Zamzam; it is a kind of food and a healing from sickness."

According to the Muslim collection of Hadith, Abu Dharr Ghifari, a Companion, noted that when he first arrived in Makkah during the early days of Islam, he survived only on Zamzam water for a whole month. Not only did he satisfy his hunger and thirst, he became obese.

More recently, in the last few decades, samples of Zamzam water have been collected by scientists and they have found certain peculiarities that make the water healthier, like a higher level of calcium.

Zamzam water: a cure for sickness

Apart from its ability to serve as satisfying food and drink, Zamzam water's health benefits are also commended. The Prophet said it was a healing from sickness.This is why pilgrims to Makkah to this day collect it in bottles to bring back for relatives and friends back home who are ill.

The Prophet used to carry Zamzam water in pitchers and water skins back to Madinah. He used to sprinkle it over the sick and make them drink it.

Wahab ibn Munabbah, who was of the second generation of Muslims, said 'I swear by Him in whose possession my life is, Allah Ta`ala will relieve the person of all illnesses who drinks Zamzam to his fill and will also grant him good health.'

Zamzam water and Hajj

During Hajj and Umra, pilgrims are recommended to drink Zamzam water to their fill to quench their thirst. They also continue the tradition of bringing it back for family and friends.

For example, despite tight US laws forbidding the import of foreign liquids and fruits, there is an exception made for pilgrims returning from Makkah, who bring water of the Zamzam home for loved ones.