Aab-e-Zamzam

Aab-e-Zamzam is considered the sacred well it is present in Mecca within Masjid-al-Haram which is located in Saudi Arabia. This water is recognized as the holiest source of water in the religion of Islam. Pilgrims that visit Kaaba in order to perform Umrah or Hajj, collect and drink water from this well-named Zamzam. This water holds an essential historical and religious importance in the tradition of Islam. This well is located to the east of Kaaba (the holiest place in the Islamic religion), about 20 meters away. The history of Zamzam water is very interesting, this water is very beneficial, and both of them emphasize the importance of this sacred water.

This story is narrated by Ibn Abbas that Prophet Ibrahim (AS) was commanded to take his wife (Hagar) and his son (Ismail) to Makkah, by Allah. At that time Makkah was a completely barren land. The respected Prophet (AS) followed the instructions of Allah, gave them a few dates and some water, and then went back home. Time passed by water and a few dates were finished by both of them. When they ran out of water, young Ismail started crying because of thirst and as a result, Hagar started running and looking for water all around the place. She ran 7 times up and down the hill of Safa and Marwa because of this it is an important ritual to walk around the Kaaba 7 times while performing both Umrah and Hajj. In such a distressed state, Ismail started kicking the ground forcefully. All of a sudden Hagar witnessed water coming out of the spot where the young boy was kicking. Then she collected some of the water carefully, stored the water, and started feeding Ismail with that water. The water gushed out from that particular place was known to be Zamzam and is considered sacred among Muslims. There are so many versions and extensions of this story but one thing that remains constant is the sacredness and importance of this divine water and holy well. 

According to our beloved Prophet Muhammad (SAW)

“the best water on the face of this earth is the water of Zamzam, it is a sort of food and it is a healing from sickness”.

Some of the significant characteristics of this holy water are given below:

l It enhances the immunity of the human body.

l It helps to cure and repair the damaged cells of the skin.

l This water is considered to be a source of nourishment.

l Consumption of this water actually improves the overall health of human beings.

l It plays a role in reducing the acidity.

l It has the ability to prevent dental decay.

l It has the potential to restrain hunger pangs.

l Its application on eyes can help in the betterment of eyesight as well as deal with issues related to eyes.

l Another common belief is when a person makes a wish after completely drinking the Zamzam water his/her wish is answered and fulfilled.

Ibn al-Qayyim said that he and others tried to seek healing by using the water of Zamzam and we observed wondrous stuff. I tried to obtain a cure for it from numerous illnesses and by the permission of Allah, I was cured. I also saw a person who fed himself with Zamzam for many days (half a month or more) and he didn’t experience hunger. He got enough energy to perform tawaaf with others and he informed me that he consumed nothing other than this sacred water for almost 40 days and he had enough energy to have intercourse with his wife, to perform tawaaf, and to fast. 

l Zamzam water has a unique and distinct taste although it has no distinct smell and color.

l The Zamzam water has bi-carbonates 366mg/l, this unique characteristic makes this water the purest on the face of this earth.

l The well of Zamzam is almost 30 meters deep where 17 meters contain igneous rocks and 13 meters comprise of sediments that are compressed in nature.

l Hairline fractures present in the rock let the water seep and it gains a high content of minerals which in return makes the water more beneficial for the health of humans.

l Consumption of Zamzam water actually enhances the immunity of the human body.

l This water also has a high content of magnesium and calcium which makes this water unique as it has healing properties.

Pilgrims from different parts of the world travel to Saudi Arabia, in order to perform Hajj and Umrah. Drinking this sacred water (Zamzam) is the most important aspect of the holy pilgrimage. As described above this water has several benefits related to human health so, pilgrims store this water in containers and take these containers back along with them to their homes for their relatives and friends. It is considered to be one of the best Souvenirs and the perfect gift for family and friends. The richness of calcium in this water is the basic reason for its distinct taste and consequently, it is loved by many people especially Muslims because of its sacredness. 

During Umrah and Hajj, pilgrims consume the holy water (Zamzam) and use it in order to cleanse themselves from impurities. They take it as a reminder of this place for themselves for their relatives and for friends as well. For its significant characteristics and healing properties, this water is of unique importance in our religion. This well is considered as a point of religious significance among Muslims because of its history and unique properties. However, one must keep in mind that scientific miracles linked with Zamzam are greatly rooted in religious beliefs and they are not actually owned by the scientific community, the miracles are often associated with the matter of faith.