Allaah has made all living creatures out of water. People require
water for almost everything; for agriculture, construction,
transportation, andfor cooling and heating. But not all water carries
the same value and significance? Muslims refer tothe 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 beneficialqualities 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. Ithas remained
free from biologicalcontaminants.
From the time that Hagar wandered aimlessly through the desert in
search of sustenance forher 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 theProphet 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 himfrom
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 starteddrinking 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
andlooked, hoping to see somebody, but in vain. When she came downto
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 thechild,' 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
Safaaand 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 heellike 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 Hagarand asked her, 'May we settle at your
dwelling?' She said, 'Yes, butyou 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
thehuman 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 becameunjust and tyrannical. They,
beingfully 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 eachvision, 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 fourthnight.
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
wasonly 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
ofwater. 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 thatAbdul-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 hisfamily of course) could partake inthis most
honorable privilege.
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