The Miracle of Zam Zam Water

Researchby Tariq Hussain and Moin Uddin Ahmed

Come the Hajj season, and I am reminded ofthe wonders of Zumzum water. Let me go back to how it all started. In 1971, anEgyptian doctor wrote to the European Press, a letter saying that Zumzum waterwas not fit for drinking purposes. I immediately thought that this was just aform of prejudice against the Muslims and that since his statement was based onthe assumption that since the Ka'aba was a shallow place (below sea level) andlocated in the center of the city of Makkah, the wastewater of the citycollecting through the drains fell into well holding the water.

Fortunately, the news came to KingFaisal's ears who got extremely angry and decided to disprove the Egyptiandoctor's provocative statement. He immediately ordered the Ministry ofAgriculture and Water Resources to investigate and send samples of Zumzum waterto European laboratories for testing the potability of the water.

The ministry then instructed the JeddahPower and Desalination Plants to carry out this task. It was here that I wasemployed as a desalting engineer (chemical engineer to produce drinking waterfrom sea water). I was chosen to carry out this assignment. At this stage, Iremember that I had no idea what the well holding the water looked like. I wentto Makkah and reported to the authorities at the Ka'aba explaining my purpose ofvisit.

They deputed a man to give me whateverhelp was required. When we reached the well, it was hard for me to believe thata pool of water, more like a small pond, about 18 by 14 feet, was the well thatsupplied millions of gallons of water every year to hajis ever since it cameinto existence at the time of Hazrat Ibrahim A.S., many, many centuries ago. Istarted my investigations and took the dimensions of the well. I asked the manto show me the depth of the well.

First he took a shower and descended intothe water. Then he straightened his body. I saw that the water level came up tojust above his shoulders. His height was around five feet, eight inches. He thenstarted moving from one corner to the other in the well (standing all the whilesince he was not allowed to dip his head into the water) in search of any inletor pipeline inside the well to see from where the water came in. However, theman reported that he could not find any inlet or pipeline inside the well.

I thought of another idea. The water couldbe withdrawn rapidly with the help of a big transfer pump which was installed atthe well for the Zumzum water storage tanks. In this way, the water level woulddrop enabling us to locate the point of entry of the water. Surprisingly,nothing was observed during the pumping period, but I knew that this was theonly method by which you could find the entrance of the water to the well. So Idecided to repeat the process. But this time I instructed the man to stand stillat one place and carefully observe any unusual thing happening inside the well.After a while, he suddenly raised his hands and shouted, "Alhamdollillah! Ihave found it. The sand is dancing beneath my feet as the water oozes out of thebed of the well."

Then he moved around the well during thepumping period and noticed the same phenomenon everywhere in the well. Actuallythe flow of water into the well through the bed was equal at every point, thuskeeping the level of the water steady. After I finished my observations I tookthe samples of the water for European laboratories to test. Before I left theKa'aba, I asked the authorities about the other wells around Makkah.

I was told that these wells were mostlydry. When I reached my office in Jeddah I reported my findings to my boss wholistened with great interest but made a very irrational comment that the Zumzumwell could be internally connected to the Red Sea. How was it possible when Makkah is about 75 kilometres away from the sea andthe wells located before the city usually remains dry? The results of the watersamples tested by the European laboratories and the one We analysed in our ownlaboratory were found to be almost identical.
The difference between Zumzum water andother water (city water) was in the quantity of calcium and magnesium salts.

The content of these was slightly higherin Zumzum water. This may be why this water refreshes tired hajis, but moresignificantly, the water contained fluorides that have an effective germicidalaction. Moreover, the remarks of the European laboratories showed that the waterwas fit for drinking.

Hence the statement made by the Egyptiandoctor was proved false. When this was reported to King Faisal he was extremelypleased and ordered the contradiction of the report in the European Press. In away, it was a blessing that this study was undertaken to show the chemicalcomposition of the water. In fact, the more you explore, the more wonderssurface and you find yourself believing implicitly in the miracles of this waterthat God bestowed as a gift on the faithful coming from far and wide to thedesert land for pilgrimage.
Let me sum up some of the features ofZumzum water.

This well has never dried up. On thecontrary it has always fulfilled the demand for water. It has always maintainedthe same salt composition and taste ever since it came into existence. Itspotability has always been universally recognised as pilgrims from all over theworld visit Ka'aba every year for Hajj and umrah, but have never complainedabout it. Instead, they have always enjoyed the water that refreshes them. Watertastes different at different places.
Zumzum water's appeal has always beenuniversal. This water has never been chemically treated or chlorinated as is thecase with water pumped into the cities. Biological growth and vegetation usuallytakes place in most wells. This makes the water unpalatable owing to the growthof algae causing taste and odour problems.

But in the case of the Zumzum water well,there wasn't any sign of biological growth. Centuries ago, Hagar (raa) searcheddesperately for water in the hills of Safa and Marwa to give to her newly bornson Ismail (pbuh) As she ran from one place to another in search of water, herchild rubbed his feet against the sand. A pool of water surfaced, and by thegrace of God, shaped itself into a well which came to be called Zumzum water.