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The Well of Zamzam

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The Well of Zamzam that gushed forth underneath the footsteps of

Isma`il, peace and blessings be upon him, is considered one of the
important elements within the Sacred Sanctuary. Actually, this
blessed Well had passed by several incidents which we are going to
mention here as follows:

Zamzam Before Islam

It was reported on the authority of Ibn `Abbas, may Allah be pleased

with him, that Abraham, peace and blessings be upon him, came to
Makkah along with Hajar, the mother of Isma`il, who was a suckling
baby. He left her and her son in a place on the spot of Zamzam with a
water-skin containing some water, and set out homeward. She used
to drink and then give suck to her son until the water had all been
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used up. Then, her child (Isma`il) became thirsty and she started
used up. e , e c d( s a ) beca e t sty a d s e sta ted
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at him tossing in agony. The mother of Isma`il thought that
he was dying of thirst; so, she left him and went to the mountain of
Safa (that was the nearest mountain to her on that land). She stood

on it and started looking at the valley keenly so that she might see
somebody, but she could not see anyone. Then she descended from
Safa and when she reached the valley, she ran like a person in
distress and trouble, till she crossed the valley and reached the
Marwah mountain where she stood and started looking, expecting to
see somebody, but she could not see any. She repeated that (running
between Safa and Marwah) seven times. When she returned to her
son, she heard a voice and she said, ‘O, (whoever you may be)! You
have made me hear your voice; have you got something to help me?’
Ibn `Abbas added, The Archangel Gabriel stroke (dug) the earth (at
the place of Zamzam with his heel or his wing), till water flowed
from that place. She started making something like a basin around it,
using her hand in this way, and started filling her water-skin with
water. Then she drank (water) and suckled her child.” This incident
was mentioned in detail by Al-Bukhari in his Sahih.

Zamzam was the First Sign of Permanent Settlement in Makkah

Al-Azraqi mentioned in his Akhbar Makkah and At-Tabari in his

Tarikh Ar-Rusul wal-Muluk that some people from the tribe of
Jurhum or a family from Jurhum passed by Hajar and her child, as
they (i.e. the Jurhum people) were coming in a trading caravan from
Ash-Sham (the Levant). They landed in the lower part of Makkah
where they saw a bird hovering above the valley. Someone said,
“This bird must be hovering over water (of a well), though we know
that there is no water in this valley.” They sent two men to see what
is there. They came to Isma`il’s mother and talked to her. Then, they
returned to inform their people of the good news (that there is
water). So, they all came and settled beside the water after getting
the permission of Isma`il’s mother. The whole story is mentioned in
detail in Sahih Al-Bukhari. The narration cited that she granted them
permission to dwell in this place without having any right to possess
the water and they agreed to that.

The area of dwellings at Makkah had been increasing especially

after Abraham and his son Isma`il, peace and blessings be upon
them, built the Sacred House. (The tribe of) Jurhum continued to
take charge of the Sacred House and (the Well of) Zamzam for a
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period of time until a Yemenite tribe so called Khuza`ah emigrated
period of time until a Yemenite tribe so called Khuza ah emigrated
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to this place after the collapse of the Ma’rib dam. Khuza`ah went
into battle with Jurhum and at the end Khuza`ah were victorious
and took charge of the Sacred House.

The Jurhumites were finally driven out from Makkah and they were
separated in the province of Tuhamah. In the fifth century, Qusayy
Ibn Kilab established himself in control of Makkah after a fierce
battle with the tribe of Khuza`ah ending with their evacuation from
Makkah and joining Kinanah under his authority. He thereupon
brought people of Quraish to Makkah and divided it among its clans.
The Well of Zamzam at that time was neglected since it had been
buried and its landmarks were hidden completely. It continued to be
so until `Abd Al-Muttalib Ibn Hashim, the grandfather of the
Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, rediscovered it. One may
wonder: how could people of Makkah and the pilgrims drink (water)
after covering the Well of Zamzam?

The answer is: there were wells and springs that were dug after the
disappearance of the Well of Zamzam such as the well of Al-Yusrah
that was dug by Ka`b Ibn Lu’ayy and another well so called Ar-
Rwua; they were opposite to the mount of `Arafah.

`Abd Al-Muttalib dug Zamzam following the Incident of the

Elephant after he saw a spiritual figure in a vision saying, “Dig
Zamzam.” Then, it vanished and once again came to him and said,
“Dig Zamzam which is located between dung and blood, an ants’
nest, and pecking ravens.”

When `Abd Al-Muttalib woke up, he went immediately to the Sacred

House wherein he discovered the place, where a cow was to be
slaughtered at Al-Hazurah (a market in the Pre-Islamic period of
Ignorance) but it escaped from its slaughterer. Then, it was
overcome by death in the Sanctuary in the very place of Zamzam.
The cow departed life and its flesh was carried away. Then, a raven
came to eat from it and it fell in the dung and then ants gathered
around what remained of it.

`Abd Al-Muttalib rose and started to ding in the assigned location

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but people of Quraish came to him and asked him, “What are you
doing, why do you dig in the Sanctuary?” `Abd Al-Muttalib replied:
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“I am going to dig this well and fight anyone who tries to bar me.” He
continued along with his sole son Al-Harith at that time to dig

despite their vehement protest. Some Quraishites disputed with

them while others stopped because they knew well `Abd Al-
Muttalib’s high-ranked pedigree. `Abd Al-Muttalib was sharply
harmed until he vowed that if he would have ten sons he would
slaughter one of them (in sacrifice). Digging continued until he found
golden swords. When the people saw the swords they said, “O `Abd
Al-Muttalib, we should have a share in what you have found.” He
replied that these swords would go to the Sacred House. He
afterwards continued to dig until water flowed in the bottom.

Then, he built a cistern beside it and used to fill it with water along
with his son so that the pilgrims may drink thereof. But some people
of Quraish used to break this cistern by night and when `Abd Al-
Muttalib wakes up he reforms it. When their corruption to the basin
increased, `Abd Al-Muttalib supplicated his Lord (against them),
then a shadowy figure came to him in a vision and told him to say:
“O Lord, I do not make it permissible for the one who wants to take a
bath in it but it is permissible for anyone to have a drink (of water)
from it.” When `Abd Al-Muttalib woke up, he proclaimed what he
had seen in the Sanctuary, then he went out. Afterwards, no one of
Quraish corrupts his cistern unless he is afflicted with a malady in
his body. So, they stopped corrupting it altogether.

Then, `Abd Al-Muttalib married another woman who bore him ten
sons. He intended to sacrifice one of his sons, so he gathered them in
the Ka`bah. The lots were cast, and it was `Abdullah’s arrow that
came out. But after consultation with people they suggested to put
`Abdullah and ten camels side by side and cast lots between them. If
the arrow falls against `Abdullah, he should add more ten camels
and so forth until his Lord accepts them and the arrow falls against
the camels. The lots were cast ten times until the arrow fell against
the camels. At last `Abd Al-Muttalib became certain that God had
accepted his expiation, and the camels were duly sacrificed.

Zamzam in the Islamic Era

After `Abd Al-Muttalib dug the Well of Zamzam, it became the main
source for watering the pilgrims to the Sacred House of God. With
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the advent of Islam, its importance increased since many Hadiths
were reported in itsword
Enter the search favor. We may cite in this regard some of these
Hadiths as follows:

Ahmad reported that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be

upon him, said, “Fever is from the heat of the Hell-fire; so, cool it
with Zamzam water.”

`Ali Ibn Abu Talib, may Allah be pleased with him, also reported that
the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, performed Tawaf
(circumambulation) of Ifadah, then he asked that a bucket of
Zamzam water should be brought to him. He afterwards performed
ablution with this water and then said, “Draw water, O Banu `Abd
Al-Muttalib; were it not that people would usurp this right of
supplying water from you, I would have drawn it along with you.”

Disappearance of the sources and springs of water before the

Day of Judgment except that of Zamzam

`Uthman Ibn Saj narrated, “Muqatil informed me on the authority of

Ad-Dahhaq Ibn Muzahim that Allah, Glorified and Exalted be He,
will take away the fresh water before the Day of Judgment. All
sources and springs of water-supply will be lost except the water of
Zamzam and the earth will issue (cast away) what is in its hollows of
gold and silver. At that moment, the man will come with a sack full
of gold and silver and offer it saying: is there anyone who accepts
this from me? He will be replied: had you offered it to me yesterday I
would have accepted it from you.”

Description of the Well of Zamzam in the course of time

Ibn Juraij was reported as having said that `Ata’ described to him
the way of their watering from Zamzam saying: (The Well of)
Zamzam had two cisterns in the first era; one between it and (Ar-
Rukn) the Corner through which the pilgrims would have their drink
of water and another cistern from behind for performing ablution. It
had an attached reservoir to which water comes through the gate of
As-Safa and it had no window at that time.

It was merely a well surrounded by a fence of stones that had been

simply built. It continued to be so until the era of the `Abbasid caliph
Abu Ja`far Al-Mansur who was the first to build a dome above the
Well of Zamzam in the year 145 AH. Share
Zamzam was
Enter thesixty
searchcubits
word length. Its bottom included three springs:
one facing the black corner, another opposite to mountains of Abu
Qubais and As-Safa, and the third one facing Al-Marwah. The width

of the mouth of Zamzam was 3.2/3 cubits.

The commander of the believers Abu Ja`far was the first to construct
marbles on Zamzam, on the window, and to tile its floor with marble
during his caliphate. Then, Al-Mahdi reconstructed them during his
caliphate and roofed the room of Zamzam with teak at the hands of
`Umar Ibn Faraj. The little dome was covered with mosaic as well as
the building of Zamzam was restored and a large dome of teak was
constructed above the room allocated for watering the pilgrims
instead of the little dome that was above the Well of Zamzam. This
was during the caliphate of Al-Mahdi in the year 160 AH. The Well of
Zamzam and its dome was then restored and was covered with
marble during the caliphate of the `Abbasid caliph Al-Mu`tasim in
the year 220 AH.

A description for the cistern of Zamzam

This cistern is 39 cubits from inside and 40 cubits from outside. Its
diameter is 12 cubits and is tiled with marble. Its walls are covered
with marble. The length of its walls is 11 fingers and their width is 8
fingers. The area of this cistern through which the pilgrims have
their drink of water is 28 cubits. This cistern is surrounded by 12
teak cylinder. The length of each cylinder is 4 cubits. Above the room
there is a dome made of teak whose outside is green and its inside is
yellow.

The most important repairs

The dome of Zamzam received several repairs and restorations in

the course of time. The most important of these repairs are the
following:

The Sacred Mosque was restored in the Mamluk era during the reign
of Sultan An-Nassir Faraj Ibn Barquq after fire erupted in the Sacred
Mosque in the night of 28 Shawwal, 802 AH. The dome of Zamzam
was also restored in the year 815 AH at the hands of the Judge of
Makkah Jamal Ad-Din Muhammad Ibn Abu Dhahirah. In the era of
Sultan Qaitbai, the Well of Zamzam was restored and its marbles
were replaced in 884 AH. Share
In the Ottoman era,word
Enter the search the Sacred Mosque received great interest and
several repairs were made to the building of Zamzam especially
during the reign of Sultan Salim II, 982 AH. The dome of Zamzam

was also restored in the era of Sultan Ahmad IV, 1083 AH. Then, the
building of Zamzam was restored in the era of Sultan `Abd Al-Hamid
I, 1187 AH and once again in 1203 AH. Before nowadays, the greatest
works of building that were made to the dome of Zamzam was
accomplished during the era of Sultan `Abd Al-Hamid the Second
1300 AH. These works were made by the engineer As-Said
Muhammad Sadiq. Eventually, during the modern era, the building
of Zamzam was reconstructed but away from its original location
since the old building that was located near the Ka`bah used to
hinder Tawaf in the modern age because of the large number of the
pilgrims. The water of Zamzam was conducted to its new location in
the eastern part of the Sanctuary by way of engines for lifting water
and pipes. There became an assigned place for men and another for
women. Finally, it is worth mentioning that despite the passage of
thousands of years on discovering the Well of Zamzam, its water
remained and will continue to be a source of purity and cure.

*by Mahmoud Isma`il Shil and `Abdur-Rahman `Abdul-Wahid

# Zamzam

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