Zamzam: A living miracle

So, what is so special about Zamzam water? In one 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, and the fact that it never dries up. This water is special.
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 millions of thirsty pilgrims every year plus the additional amount that is bottled and also the amount that is taken as gifts distributed worldwide. 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 Hajirah (peace be upon her) wandered aimlessly through the desert in search of sustenance for her son and herself; to the moment that Isma’il (peace be upon him) kicked his tiny feet on the sand and the well of Zamzam sprung out of the great Mercy of Allah, 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.


One of the greatest attributes of Zamzam is that it will never dry up. This is a gift from Allah to Makkah and to its pilgrims. Ibn Abbas narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
“... May Allah bestow his mercy upon her (Hagar, the mother of Isma’il), 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)

Dr. Ahmad Abdul-Qadir Al-Muhandis indicates that the results of chemical analyses show that Zamzam water is pure, without color or smell, has a distinct taste, and its hydrogen component is 7.5, indicating that it is alkaline to some extent.

A study conducted in American laboratories showed that traces of 30 elements were identified in Zamzam water by means of energizing neutrons. Some of these elements measured 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 potability of Zamzam water as well as its beneficial effect on the body. Additionally, sodium is very high in Zamzam water and the international specifications do not put a limit to the measurement of its composition.

Further, microbes cannot 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 makes Zamzam more saline through evaporation, which is, with Allah’s blessings, good for the human body.

Scientific analyses are additional evidences for non-Muslims that prove the truthfulness of the Prophet (peace be upon him). Whatever the Prophet (peace be upon him) said is miraculously true because it was based on divine revelation, as Allah said in the Qur’an:

“Nor does he speak of (his own) desire. It is only a Revelation sent down to him.” (Quran 53: 3-4)
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Zamzam water is a lavish meal and a great healer.”
He (peace be upon him) also said: “Zamzam water is what one intends to drink for. When one drinks it to be healed, Allah heals him; when one drinks it be full, Allah makes him full; and when one drinks it to quench his thirst, Allah quenches it.” (Ahmad & Ibn Maza) – Al Jumuah Magazine


u    Reprinted from The Saudi Gazette, 18 May  2009,  24 Jumada Al-Awwal 1430 H

More about Zamzam

According to IslamOnline, the well originally had two cisterns in the first era, one for drinking and one for ablution. At that time, it was a simple well surrounded by a fence of stones. Then in the era of the Abbasid caliph Al-Mansur, 771 AD (149 AH), a dome was built above the well, and it was tiled with marble. In 775 AD (153 AH), Al-Mahdi rebuilt the well during his caliphate, and built a dome of teak which was covered with mosaic. One small dome covered the well, and a larger dome covered the room for the pilgrims. In 835 AD (213 AH) there was further restoration, and the dome was covered with marble during the caliphate of Al-Mu’tasim.
In 1417 (795 AH), during the time of the Mamluks, the mosque was damaged by fire, and required restoration. Further restoration occurred in 1430 (808 AH), and again in 1499 (877 AH) during the time of Sultan Qaitbay, when the marble was replaced.

In modern times, the most extensive restoration took place to the dome during the era of the Ottoman Sultan Abdul Hamid II in 1915 (1333 AH). To facilitate crowd control, the building housing the Zamzam was moved away from its original location, to get it out of the way of the Tawaf, when millions of pilgrims would circumambulate the Kaaba. The water of the well is now pumped to the eastern part of the mosque, where it was made available in separate locations for men and women.

The Zamzam well was excavated by hand, and is about 30 m (98 ft) deep and 1.08 to 2.66 metres (3 ft 7 in to 8 ft 9 in) in diameter. It taps groundwater from the wadi alluvium and some from the bedrock. Originally water from the well was drawn via ropes and buckets, but today the well itself is in a basement room where it can be seen behind glass panels (visitors are not allowed to enter). Electric pumps draw the water, which is available throughout the Masjid al-Haram via water fountains and dispensing containers near the Tawaf area.[1]

With 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, (SAW) Abdul Muttalib, was honored with the responsibility of taking care of the well and the pilgrims to Makkah.

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. Prophet Muhammad (SAW) 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 al-Ghifari, a Companion (Sahabi), noted that when he first arrived in Makkah during the early days of Islam, not only did he satisfy his hunger and thirst but he survived only on Zamzam water for a whole month. More recently, in the last few decades, scientists have collected samples of Zamzam water and they have found certain peculiarities that make the water healthier, like a higher level of calcium.
Apart from its ability to serve as satisfying food and drink, Zamzam water’s health benefits are also commended. Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) said it was a healing from sickness. This is why pilgrims to Makkah to this day collect it in bottles to bring for relatives and friends back home who are ill.

Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) 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 from 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.’

Hydrogeologically, the well is in the Wadi Ibrahim (Valley of Abraham). The upper half of the well is in the sandy alluvium of the valley, lined with stone masonry except for the top 1-metre (3 ft 3 in) which has a concrete “collar”. The lower half is in the bedrock. Between the alluvium and the bedrock is a 1⁄2-metre (1 ft 8 in) section of permeable weathered rock, lined with stone, and it is this section that provides the main water entry into the well. Water in the well comes from absorbed rainfall in the Wadi Ibrahim, as well as run-off from the local hills. Since the area has become more and more settled, water from absorbed rainfall on the Wadi Ibrahim has decreased.

The Saudi Geological Survey has a “Zamzam Studies and Research Centre” which analyses the technical properties of the well in detail. Water levels were monitored by hydrograph, which in more recent times has changed to a digital monitoring system that tracks the water level, electric conductivity, pH, Eh, and temperature. All of this information is made continuously available via the Internet. Other wells throughout the valley have also been established, some with digital recorders, to monitor the response of the local aquifer system.

The water level is 3.23 m (10.6 ft) below the surface. A pumping test at 8,000 litres per second (280 cu ft/s) for more than a 24 hour period showed a drop in water level from 3.23 m (10.6 ft) below surface to 12.72 m (41.7 ft) and then to 13.39 m (43.9 ft), after which the water level stopped receding. When pumping stopped, the water level recovered to 3.9 m (13 ft) below surface only 11 minutes later. This data shows that the aquifer feeding the well seems to recharge from rock fractures in neighbouring mountains around Mecca.

The Saudi government has prohibited the commercial export of Zamzam from the Kingdom.

Zamzam water has no colour or smell, but it has a distinct taste, and its pH is 7.9–8.0, indicating that it is alkaline to some extent and is similar to seawater.

Minerals Mass concentration
o    Sodium 133 mg/L (4.8x10­_6 lb/cu in)
o    Calcium 96 mg/L (3.5x10­_6 lb/cu in)
o    Magnesium 38.88 mg/L (1.405x10­_6 lb/cu in)
o    Potassium 43.3 mg/L (1.56x10­_6 lb/cu in)
o    Bicarbonate 195.4 mg/L (7.06x10­_6 lb/cu in)
o    Chloride 163.3 mg/L (5.90x10­_6 lb/cu in)
o    Fluoride 0.72 mg/L (2.6x10­_8 lb/cu in)
o    Nitrate 124.8 mg/L (4.51x10­_6 lb/cu in)
o    Sulfate 124.0 mg/L (4.48x10­_6 lb/cu in)
o    pH 8
o    Total dissolve alkalinity 835 mg/L (3.02x10­_5         lb/cu in)

The Saudi government has prohibited the commercial export of Zamzam from the Kingdom. However, there is a strong commercial demand for Zamzam which resulted in commercial distribution of fake Zamzam along with alleged Zamzam in many countries. British Food Standards Agency have issued warnings about such fake water containing dangerous levels of arsenic.