ZAMZAM WELL

The Well of Zamzam (or the Zamzam Well, or just Zamzam; Arabic: زمزم‎) is a well located within the Masjid al Haram in Mecca, 20 meters east of the Kaaba,^[1] the holiest place in Islam. According to Islamic belief, it was a miraculously-generated source of water from Allah (God), which began thousands of years ago when Ibrahim's infant son Ismael was thirsty and kept crying for water and was kicking at the ground when water gushed out. Millions of pilgrims visit the Well each year while performing the Hajj or Umrah pilgrimages, in order to drink its water. By Saudi law, the water cannot be sold outside of the kingdom, but because of strong demand there is a thriving market in fake Zamzam water in other countries.

Origin of Zamzam

Islamic history states that Zamzam well was revealed to Hajar, the wife of Abraham (Ibrahim) and mother of Ismael,^[2] around the year 2000 BC. According to Islamic tradition, she was desperately seeking water for her infant son, but could find none, as Mecca is located in a hot dry valley with few sources of water. Muslim traditions say that Hajar ran seven times back and forth in the scorching heat between the two hills of Safa and Marwah, looking for water. Getting thirstier by the second, her son, Ismael anxiously scraped the land with his feet, where suddenly water sprang out. There are other versions of the story involving Allah sending his angel, Gabriel, who touched the ground where water rose.^[3]

The name of the well comes from the phrase Zomë Zomë, meaning ‘accumulate’, a command repeated by Hajar during her attempt to contain the spring water.^[1]

According to Islamic tradition, Abraham rebuilt the Bait-ul-Allah (House of Allah) at the site of the well, a building which had been originally constructed by Adam, and today is called the Kaaba, a building towards which all Muslims around the world face in prayer, five times each day. The Zamzam well is located approximately 20 meters east of the Kaaba.^[