Al-Huda
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December 2009
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Article 12
Zamzam
Water: The history
& significance
Introduction
Allaah has
made all living creatures out of water. People
require water for almost everything; for
agriculture, construction, transportation, and
for cooling and heating. But not all water
carries the same value and significance? Muslims
refer to the water of Zamzam as something
revered and unique. They crave this mysterious
liquid and love to drink it whenever they can.
And for those who managed to go to the Hajj,
they return home carrying it for thousands of
miles as a prized possession and to give as
special gift to their friends and families.
So, what
is so special about Zamzam water? In a word:
Everything.
There is
nothing ordinary about it. The miracle of how it
came to being in the middle of the desert, its
consistency throughout thousands of years, the
beneficial qualities it has, the fact that
it never dries up.
This water is special.
The fact
is, this small 5 ft. deep well is far away from
any other source or body of water.
It is self-replenishing.
It is constantly replenishing itself in order to
produce gallons upon gallons of water for
consumption of thirsty pilgrims plus the
additional amount that is bottled and also the
amount that is taken as gifts distributed
worldwide to millions. Zamzam water
has scientifically been
proven to contain healing qualities due
to its higher content of Calcium and Magnesium
Salts and also the natural fluorides that
encompass a germicidal action.
It is also
an established scientific fact that pools or
water wells tend to grow vegetation such as
algae—especially in warm climates. Amazingly
this is not the case in the well of Zamzam.
It has remained free from
biological contaminants.
From the
time that Hagar wandered aimlessly through the
desert in search of sustenance for her son and
herself; to the moment that Ismaa'eel
kicked his tiny feet on the sand and the well of
Zamzam was born out of the great Mercy of Allaah,
Muslims have been drinking from it. What is more
fascinating is that it has never once dried up.
To Muslims this blessed water is special in
significance and history.
A
Lofty History
Ibn
'Abbaas
narrated that the Prophet
said: "When Ibraaheem
(Abraham) had differences with his wife,
(because of her jealousy of Haajar, Ismaa’eel’s
(Ishmael) mother), he took Ismaa’eel and his
mother and went away. They had a water-skin with
them containing some water, Ismaa’eel's mother
used to drink water from the water-skin so that
her milk would increase for her child. When
Ibraaheem reached Makkah, he made her sit under
a tree and afterwards returned home. Ismaa’eel's
mother followed him, and when they reached Kada,
she called him from behind, `O Ibraaheem! To
whom are you leaving us?' He replied, '(I am
leaving you) to Allaah's (Care).' She said, 'I
am satisfied to be with Allaah.' She returned to
her place and started drinking water from the
water-skin, and her milk increased for her
child. When the water had all been used up, she
said to herself, 'I would better go and look so
that I may see somebody.' She ascended the hill
of the Safaa and looked, hoping to see somebody,
but in vain. When she came down to the valley,
she ran till she reached the hill of the Marwah.
She ran to and from (between the two hills) many
times. Then she said to herself, 'I would better
go and see the state of the child,' she went and
found it in a state of one on the point of
dying. She could not endure to watch her child
dying and said (to herself), 'If I go and look,
I may find somebody.' She went and ascended the
hill of the Safaa and looked for a long while
but could not see anybody. Thus she completed
seven rounds (of running) between Safaa and
Marwah. Again she said (to herself), 'I would
better go back and see how the child is doing.'
But all of a sudden she heard a voice, and she
said to that strange voice, 'Help us if you can
offer any help.' It was Gabriel (who had made
the voice). Gabriel hit the earth with his heel
like this (Ibn 'Abbaas
hit the earth with his heel to illustrate it),
and so the water gushed out. Ismaa’eel's mother
was astonished and started digging ... She
started drinking from the water and her milk
increased for her child..."
[Al-Bukhaari]
In
another narration of Ibn 'Abbaas
the Prophet
said:
"May Allaah be merciful to the mother of
Ismaa’eel! If she had left the water of Zamzam
(fountain) as it was, (without constructing a
basin for keeping the water), it would have been
a flowing stream. Jurhum (an ancient Arab tribe)
came to Hagar and asked her, 'May we settle at
your dwelling?' She said, 'Yes, but you have no
right to possess the water.' They agreed."
[Al-Bukhaari]
It was
thus how the dry and barren valley of Makkah
became inhabited.
The
Archangel Gabriel unearthed the water of Zamzam
such that the life of Ismaa’eel, the great
grandfather of Prophet Muhammad
maybe saved. Hagar, the wife of Ibraaheem the
patriarch, restricted its flow and caused it to
become a well. It is located next to the holiest
of all holy places: the Ka'bah. Its water was
the direct cause of Jurhum's settlement in
Makkah, and hence the start of the Makkan era in
the human history. No other water can claim this
honor.
The Rebirth of Zamzam
With
passage of time, the inhabitants of Makkah
started to forego the ways of the pious ones.
Jurhum, the core of the Makkan population, were
driven out of Makkah when they became unjust and
tyrannical.
They,
being fully aware of the importance of Zamzam,
hideously plugged it to deny their conquerors
its blessings. Zamzam was not reopened and
henceforth was forgotten.
Many
generations passed in Makkah with Zamzam in
complete oblivion, until
Abdul-Muttalib (the paternal grandfather of the
Prophet
)
resurrected the dead well. Abdul-Muttalib
himself was oblivious to Zamzam. With the
approaching of the last divine message, a
sequence of significant preludes was in order;
the rebirth of Zamzam was one.
It so
happened that for three consecutive nights,
Abdul-Muttalib had a very clear vision about
digging a well. During each vision, the name of
the well was different and no location was
mentioned. On the fourth night, however, both
Zamzam and its location were communicated to
Abdul-Muttalib so clearly that he attended to
the appointed task on the morning of the very
fourth night.
To the
utter disbelief of the Makkans who ridiculed the
seemingly futile attempt at finding water in
such an arid place, Abdul-Muttalib found water
in an ancient buried well so close to the Ka'bah.
And it was only natural that the Makkans claim a
share in this, obviously, special well. Abdul-Muttalib
gave no concessions and rejected any such claim.
The
Makkans and Abdul-Muttalib's could not
negotiate a middle ground, so both parties
agreed to seek arbitration. They set out for a
priestess whose judgment was accepted by both
parties.
On their
way, and while crossing the desert, the caravan
ran out of water. The companions of Abdul-Muttalib
all but gave up any hope of salvation. And when
all seemed lost, water sprang out from the ever
so small notch that Abdul-Muttalib's camel
made with its pad. Upon seeing this, the Makkans
knew that He who saved Abdul-Muttalib from this
eminent death on this very journey to settle the
very question of Zamzam, had made
Abdul-Muttalib the sole
heir to this special water. The matter
was settled and the family of the Prophet
was ennobled with a mark of clearest
distinction.
It is of
paramount importance to mention that Abdul-Muttalib's
possession of Zamzam was not an act of ownership
where he would deny its water to others. Being
the sole heir to Zamzam meant that Abdul-Muttalib
alone was to provide Zamzam water to the
pilgrims; no one else (save his family of
course) could partake in this most honorable
privilege.
Venerable Even Before Islam
After the rebirth of Zamzam on the hands of
Abdul-Muttalib, the Makkans accorded Zamzam the
veneration it deserved.
They used to drink from Zamzam whenever they
were about to engage in matter of grave
importance.
Al-Haarith Ibn Khaleefah As-Sa'di narrated that
Quraysh always commenced their preparation to
fend enemies by drinking from Zamzam. This was
so customary that one could easily infer the
gravity of matters from the collection of pots
near Zamzam.
The Makkans realized that Zamzam was blessed
water. They sought its blessing in matters of
gravity, and many a times it was the difference.
The Location of the Well
The well is located only
few paces from the Ka'bah, behind the Maqaam
(the stepping stone which Ibraaheem
used while building the Ka’bah) to the left. Its
location is now clearly marked on the marbles of
the Mataaf (the nearly circular open space where
the pilgrims circumambulate around the Ka'bah).
The well itself was lowered below the ground to
facilitate the modernization of water extraction
from the well, and to remove all obstacles from
the path of Tawaaf.
It is worth mentioning that there are other
wells named Zamzam after the original one. Such
a well can be found, for example, in Madeenah.
The Names of Zamzam
Like any object of reverence, Zamzam commands
both love and respect. In addition to the
sublime nature and the loft history of this
unique water, its attributes have originated its
many names. Some of its names that are related
to its sublimity are
`blessing' and
`blessed'. Another beautiful name is
'Bushra' which
signifies glad tidings for the believers.
Its lofty history contributed to its many names,
such as 'sanctified'. Another set of names
derive from the fact that the Archangel Gabriel
(Jibreel) unearthed the water, such as 'Hamzat
Jibreel' and 'Wat'at Jibreel', with both names
referring to the act of knocking the ground open
by the Archangel.
Zamzam's attributes, however, account for most
of its names. Some of these attributes were
learned from teachings of the Prophet
;
others were coined as descriptive names for
physical and spiritual attributes of the water.
These names include, for example, 'a cure for
illness', and 'a food for hunger'. It is also
called 'sufficient', 'beneficent', and
'pure and sweet'.
The Heavenly Connection
Ibn 'Abbaas
related that when a man drowned in Zamzam much
of the water was removed out of the well in
order to retrieve the body. After removing the
body, Ibn 'Abbaas
told the man who was at the bottom of the well
to collect water from the wellspring which flows
from the direction of the Ka'bah. The
source of this wellspring,
said Ibn 'Abbaas
is from Paradise. 'Abdullaah Ibn 'Amr
corroborates the same reference to the heavenly
connection. This gives Zamzam yet a further
distinction whereby this
earthly stream is mixed with water from Paradise.
This is a most generous gift of Allaah.
A
Clear Sign
Al-Masjid Al-Haraam (The Sacred
Mosque in Makkah) is the first House of worship
appointed for mankind. Along with this
appointment, Allaah blessed this sacred place
with many signs of distinction. Allaah Says
(what means):
"Verily, the
first House (of worship) appointed for mankind
was that at Bakkah (Makkah), full of blessing,
and a guidance for Al-'Aalameen (the mankind and
jinn). In it are manifest signs (for example),
the Maqaam (place) of Ibraaheem (Abraham);
whosoever enters it, he attains security..."
[Quran 3:96-97]
Zamzam is one of those
signs. Chronologically it is the first,
for when Ibraaheem, the Patriarch
left his wife and infant son at the barren
valley, following Allaah's command, he made a
humble request:
"O our Lord! I have made
some of my offspring to dwell in an uncultivable
valley by Your Sacred House (the Ka'bah at
Makkah) in order, O our Lord, that they may
perform salaah (prayer). So fill some hearts
among men with love towards them, and (O Allaah)
provide them with fruits so that they may give
thanks."
[Quran 14:37].
Zamzam was the first among
many fruits.
A
Perpetual Water
One of the greatest attributes of
Zamzam is that it will
never dry up. This is a gift from Allaah
to Makkah and to its pilgrims. Ibn 'Abbaas
narrated that the Prophet
said: "... May Allaah
bestow his mercy upon her (Hagar, the mother of
Ismaa’eel), had she let go (of the water of
Zamzam) it would have become a spring (rather
than a well) whose water shall never
dry."
[Ahmad]
Every year, millions upon millions of pilgrims
drink Zamzam water, which has been around for
thousands of years. It is fed daily to the
Prophet's mosque in Madeenah in large
quantities, and is packaged and shipped to
millions of Muslims worldwide, without the
slightest blemish in its flow. It is the epitome
of munificence; the more we drink, the more it
gives.
A
Friend of the Believer
Ibn 'Abbaas
narrated that the Prophet
said: "One difference
between us (believers) and the hypocrites is
that they could not drink much from Zamzam."
[Ibn Maajah]
A Muslim loves Zamzam and drinks it abundantly
until he is full, whereas a hypocrite could not.
This inability is caused by innate dislike to
whatever the believers do in accordance with
Allaah's wishes, which, in turn, causes the
wretched one to forsake this divine gift for a
mere mortal one.
The chemical analysis of Zamzam Water
Dr. Ahmad
Abdul-Qaadir Al-Muhandiss indicates that the
results of chemical analyses show that
Zamzam Water is pure
water, without color or smell, has a distinct
taste, and its hydrogen exponent is 7.5,
indicating that it is alkaline to some extent.
A study
conducted in American laboratories showed that
traces of thirty elements
were identified in Zamzam water by means of
energizing neutrons. Some of these
elements scored less than 0.01.
After
matching up the chemical analysis to
international specifications, especially to the
specifications of the World Health Organization
(WHO), results proved the portability of Zamzam
water as well as its beneficial effect on the
body health. Additionally, sodium is very high
in Zamzam water and the international
specifications do not put a limit to the
measurement of its composition.
Minerals
|
Percentages
|
Calcium
|
I,98
|
Magnesium
|
43.7
|
Chloride
|
335
|
Sulfur
|
370
|
Iron
|
o.15
|
Manganese
|
o.15
|
Copper
|
o.12
|
|
|
This is an Analysis of a study conducted in the laboratory of the Department of Water and Waste Water Treatment, the Western Province, Saudi Arabia (I4oo H.)
|
Zamzam
water has also been treated by ultraviolet rays,
and microbes have no place to survive in it,
which means that Zamzam water preserves its
taste and is not a congenial environment for
bacteria.
According
to various chemical analyses, dry weather make:
Zamzam more saline through evaporation, which
is, with Allaah's might, good for the human
body.
In
conclusion, it becomes clear that we should
believe in the Prophet's miracles
and that he
as described by Allaah (what meant):
"Nor does he
speak of (his own) desire. It is only
Inspiration that is inspired."
[Quran 53: 3-41]
Prophet
Muhammad
said: "Zamzam water is a
lavish meal and a great healer," and,
"Zamzam water is what one
intends to drink it for." Thus, it is a
Sunnah to Drink Zamzam water, wash with it, and
splash it on a sick person.
The Benefits of Drinking Zamzam Water
Ibn 'Abbaas
said: "The people of
Makkah used to be the fastest when it comes to
sprinting, and the most powerful when it comes
to wrestling, but as soon as they stopped
drinking Zamzam water, they started to suffer
from a disease in their legs."
He
also said that the Messenger of Allaah
had said: "Zamzam water is
what one intends to drink for. When one drinks
it to be healed, Allaah heals him; when one
drinks it be full, Allaah makes him full; and
when one drinks it to quench his thirst, Allaah
quenches it."
[Ahmad and Ibn Maajah]
There is
no doubt that drinking Zamzam water is very
beneficial. Thus, dear brothers and sisters! One
should drink Zamzam water because
it is the best water on
earth. Ibn 'Abbaas, may Allah be pleased
with him, said that the Prophet
had said: "The best water
on earth is Zamzam water".
Ibn
Khaytham
said, "Ibn Wahb
came to us suffering from an illness. We, then,
paid him a visit and found out that he had
Zamzam water. We said to him, 'If you taste this
water, you will find it crude (salty).' Then, he
said: 'I'll drink from it till I recover. I
swear by the One Who owns my soul that it is in
the Book of Allaah, 'Zamzam
neither drains nor can by vilified.' It
is in the Book of Allaah,
`... It is the drink of the pious.' It is
in the Book of Allaah,
'Priceless perfume.' It is in the Book of
Allaah, ‘It is a lavish
meal and a great healer.’ I swear by the
One Who owns my soul that if anyone drink his
full from it, he recovers.'
[Sa'eed Ibn Mansoor and Al-Arzaqi]
All the
above proves the authenticity of the narration:
"Zamzam water is what one intends to drink for."
Additionally, many Islamic scholars drank it and
experienced its dazzling effects. For instance,
Imaam Abu Haneefah
drank from Zamzam water in order to be a
knowledgeable scholar and he became the best
among the scholars in his era.
Al-Bakri
said: "I tried (Zamzam water) and sensed the
truth about what had been said about it, and
when I drank it, I had no doubt about its
amazing effect."
It is also
true that Imaam Shaafi'i
felt its tangible results when he drank Zamzam
water in order to be a knowledgeable person and
a good arrow shooter, fitting nine out of ten
targets at a time.
Al-Ajmi
said that when drinking
Zamzam water one should ask for forgiveness from
sins, one may say: "O Allaah! It came to my
knowledge that your Prophet
said, 'Zamzam water is what one intends to drink
it for.' O Allaah! I am drinking it to forgive
me. O Allaah! Forgive me." Besides, when someone
drinks it to be healed, it is good to say: "O
Allaah! I am drinking it to be healed. O Allaah!
Heal me."
The ruling of carrying Zamzam Water outside
Makkah
Al-Imaam
Al-Faarisi
mentioned that it is permissible to carry Zamzam
water outside Makkah according to the four
juristic schools, and that it is even
recommended by Imaam Maalik and Imaam Shaafi'ee
.
'Aa'ishah
also mentioned that the Prophet, salallaahu
alayhi wa sallam, and herself used to do that.
[At-Tirmithi].
Abu Hasan
said: "The Prophet
wrote to Suhayl Ibn 'Amr
:
'If you receive my message at night, do not wait
till the morning, and if you receive it in the
morning do not wait till night; just immediately
send me some Zamzam water.' Then, Suhail's wife
with the help of his grandfather, Ayoob Ibn 'Abdullaah,
and their maids carried Zamzam water at night…"
[Abu Moosaa Al-Madeeni & Al-Azraqi]
Attaa
stated that Ka'bah Al-Ahbaar used to carry it to
ancient Syria.
'Aa'ishah
carried Zamzam in bottles for sick people. The
Prophet
also carried it in leather bags and used to pour
it on the sick and give it to them as a drink.
[Al-Faakihi]
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