The Well of Zamzam II

Heidi Mahmoud Kheyamy

14 Feb 2018

It was reported the well of Zamzam disappeared with the passing of time.

During the period of ignorance which preceded Islam, providing the pilgrims, who came from all over the Arab Peninsula to Makkah with water, was the job of Quraish until Abdul Mutalib – the Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH) grandfather – took the charge of providing pilgrims with water. At that time Makkah suffered little rain and the water supply there was rare. Abdul Mutalib dreamed that someone told him to dig Taibah. Abdul Mutalib asked him “what is Taibah?”, but the man left him. The next night he dreamed of the same man asking him to dig Barrah. Abdul Mutalib asked him “what is Barrah?” the man left him with no answer. The next night the same man told him dig Zamzam. Abdul Mutalib asked him “what is Zamzam?”  The man answered him: it is a well that never dries and it provides water for all the pilgrims, and he gave him a description of its location.  Subsequently, Abdul Mutalib and his son Al Hareth went to the place of the well of Zamzam and they dug it for three days until the water flowed, then Abdul Mutalib said "Allah is the Greatest; this is the well of Ismael."

Quraish tribes asked Abdul Mutalib to have a share in Zamzam well as it was the well of their ancestor Ismael (PBUH), but he refused as he believed to be chosen to have the privilege of digging the well. Quraish tribes insisted on having their share. Abdul Mutalib suggested choosing a judge to settle the dispute. The Quraish tribes chose the oracles of Banu Sa'ad.

Chosen men from Quraish tribes, including Abdul Mutalib, went to Banu Sa’ad and on their way, they ran out of water. They thought that they were going to die out of thirst. At the same time, Abdul Mutalib advised them to use their own power to dig holes for themselves. If one of them died, his friends would bury him. They did as he suggested and they waited for their death, but Abdul Mutalib proposed to keep looking for water while they were walking instead of doing nothing. When his riding animal started to run, a spring of water gushed under its feet, and then Abdul Mutalib and his companions drank and filled their containers of water. Afterwards, they changed their minds about sharing the well of Zamzam with Abdul Mutalib and they settled the dispute. Eventually, they returned to Makkah and forgot about the oracles of Banu Sa'ad. [Al Hafiz bin Kathir, the beginning and the end, part two]

The water of Zamzam is well known for its virtues as the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said: "It is blessed (water) and it also serves as food.” [Sahih Muslim, 2473 a, Book 44, Hadith 189]

It is also reported that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: "The water of Zamzam is for whatever it is drunk for." [Hasan (Darussalam). Book 25, Hadith 3178]

Check what you have missed in Part I