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By: Qazi Dr. Shaikh Abbas Borhany
PhD (USA), NDI, Shahadat al Aalamiyah (Najaf, Iraq), M.A, LLM (Shariah)
Mushir: Fed. Shariat Court of Pakistan
Member, Ulama Council of Pakistan
Published in The Weekly Mag, Daily News, Pakistan, & in Yemen Times
Zamzam, the well that provides the water billions of people have thirstily drunk from throughout history, especially during the Haj. It is linked to Ibrahim (A.S), Ismail (A.S) and Mohammad (A.S), as well as Ismail's mother Hajar, (people of Indian Subcontinent spell wrongly as Hajrah). Zamzam well is located in Makkah, only a few meters east of the Kabah, the well is 35 meters deep and topped by an elegant dome. The history of Ibrahim (A.S) is well known to Jews, Christians and Muslims.
In Islam he is remembered as one of the great Anbiya, and as the father of the Ismail (A.S) who was the ancestor of Rasulullah(S). A child was born to Ibrahim (A.S) from his second wife Hajar whose name was Ismail (A.S). At that time Ibrahim (A.S) had no other son, except him. Sarrah was her first wife but till that time she was childless, which turned her in depression.
Through Wahi Ibrahim (A.S) received glad-tidings and Sarrah soon became mother of a son. He would be named Ishaq (A.S). Ismail (A.S) and Ishaq(A.S) were to be the ancestors and founder of two nations, Arab and Bani Israel.
Under the divine instruction, Ibrahim (A.S) took Hajar and Ismail (A.S) to a new land, far from their home in Palestine. They traveled through the desert, to a place that Allah showed them. Ibrahim (A.S) knew that the journey would be long and dangerous, but he also knew that he should trust Allah, who would look after them and provide them what they need.
They set out across the desert, and traveled for many days. At last, they came to a desolate valley. It was the place where long ago, Adam (A.S) had built the first place for the Ibadah.
No signs remained there but hot sand and bare hills. It was a frightening and lonely place--and yet, it seemed to Ibrahim (A.S) that this was the place where Allah wanted him to leave Hajar and her child. Ibrahim (A.S) gave them a little food and water and prepared to leave. Hajar watched him, afraid of what might happen. She cried:
"How can you leave us here? We will soon have nothing to eat or drink!"
Asked Hajar:
"Is this will of Allah, or your own decision?"
Ibrahim (A.S) was too sad to reply:
"It is command of Allah."
Replied Hajar:
"In that case, He will take care of us."
But at first, it almost seemed as if this was not so.
Ibrahim (A.S) left, offered Ibadah, as per routine, so that his family would be safe. It was not long before the food and water finished. In the hot desert, Hajar looked up at the two hills that enclosed the valley. There was neither a tree nor a blade of grass, or any living thing in sight. Nothing moved. There was not even a bird in the sky. The infant began to cry, and the sound tore Hajar's heart.
She knew that water is indispensable for her infant. She ran up one of the hills and scanned the country around in search of an oasis. She saw nothing. She tried the other hill-- but still found nothing. All the time, Hajar could hear the child crying, and she could not bear it.
She ran back to comfort him. Allah blessed her effort and miraculously granted Zamzam. Under divine instruction, Jibrael (A.S.) struck the site of the land with his heels and perpetual source of healing Zamzam was discovered. It was the cold clear water with which Allah quenched the thirst of Ismail (A.S).
At once, Hajar offered Shukar of Allah and then gave her son Ismail (A.S) some water to drink.
He stopped crying and slept peacefully in her arms. Hajar looked up again at the sky and saw that flocks of birds were making their way towards the well. They settled on the side of the stream to drink. Far away, desert travelers saw the birds, and knew they were heading for water.
In her desperate search for water, Hajar ran seven times back and forth in the scorching heat between the two hills of Safa and Marwah to provide for her infant son who was very thirsty. Today, this same act is a necessary rite of Haj. Ibrahim (A.S) settled his family there as part of divine mission.
The appearance of the Zamzam began the settlement in the Makkah valley, where the descendants of Ismail populated the area. But as time passed, Ibrahim and Ismail's message of Tawhid which once dominated the region began taking a backseat to Mushrikeen.
Nonetheless, the well of Zamzam retained its importance in later generations. Syedna Abdul Muttalib, was honored with the responsibility of taking care of the well and the Zaireen to Makkah. One of the miracles of Zamzam is its ability to satisfy both thirst and hunger.
It is narrated by several Ashaab that before Islam, the water was called "Shabbah" or satisfying. It was filling and helped them nourish their families. After Islam, this powerful ability to quench thirst and fill stomachs remained. Rasulullah(S) said: [1]
"The best water on the face of the earth is the Zamzam; it is a kind of food and a healing from sickness."
Zamzam was considered sacred earlier to Islam amongst Jews as well as Christians too. Afterwards, due to the religious bigotry they ignored it. It has simultaneously three abilities, to quench the thirst and remove the feeling of hunger. The next ability of Zamzam is cure from diseases.
Medicinal benefits of Zamzam, as per Traditions:
- Rasulullah(S) used to carry Zamzam in water-bags to Madinah. He used to sprinkle it over the sick and offered them to drink it with the intention of cure. [2]
- According to the Hadith: “Zamzam is a Barakah, a food that satisfies and a cure for the sick”. [3]
- It was Syedna Abizar who expressed his personal experience to his Lord, Rasulullah(S), while he questioned about his foodstuff. He informed: I had spent 40 long days with Zamzam. I do not feel any kind of weakness or hunger nor do I become slim.” Rasulullah(S) declared: “Verily, it is blessed, it is food that nourishes.” [4]
- According to the Hadith narrated by Syedna Jabir bin Abdullah al Ansari “With whatever (legal) intention one can drink it his wish fulfills. It is a cure for a numerous diseases by the order of Allah. So you should have the intention of what you want to gain by drinking this water”.
- Abbas informed: “Before the dawn of Islam, Zamzam was known as Shabaah (satisfaction).When he drank from Zamzam, he recited this Dua: “O Allah! I ask you for beneficial knowledge, plentiful provision and healing from every disease.”
- It is applied to the eyes to brighten the sight.
- Zamzam is considered to help students in the correct pronunciation of Arabi in non-Arab region.
Miracles explained by a few individuals:
1. A Yemeni Shaikh was fond of reading Qur’an from a small size Mashaf (Qur’an). As he became old he found that he couldn’t read easily from that Mashaf because of his sight getting weak. He heard about Zamzam and its advantages. He came to Haj and drank from Zamzam. His vision improved and he started reading from that small Mashaf easily and without any sight problem. He achieved what he wanted because he was confident of that and had deep faith in.
2. Yusria Abdel Rahman al Harazi, a Yemeni lady narrated:
She was affected by a crimson ulcer, in eye. She had severe headache, which couldn’t be cured by medicine. She was about to become blind in the affected eye. She consulted famous eye specialist there, who advised her, an injection, which will stop the headache but will dysfunction the affected eye and consequently she will loose the sight.
Yusria got frightened but confident of the mercy of Allah. She intended to perform Umrah and beg to Allah to cure her. She came to Makkah and performed Tawaf and washed her eyes with Zamzam. When she came back to the hotel, she found that her affected eyes were cured and the crimson ulcer disappeared.
3. Dr. Faruq Antar, tells his own experience:
He had a stone in his ureter and the doctor could not remove or destroy it without operation. But he postponed the operation two times. Meanwhile he performed Umrah and offered Dua to cure him without undergoing operation.
He drank Zamzam water and offered two Rakaat. Then he felt a benching in his ureter and hurried up to the toilet and by the grace of Allah he saw the miracle. The stone came out and he was cured without operation. The doctors who were treating Dr. Faruq were surprised for this sacred treatment. [5]
4. Layla al Helw, a Moroccan lady says:
“9 years ago, I found out that I had a cancer. I was not religious so decided to commit suicide, but it was destined that my illness became cause of my emancipation and source of inspiration for a lot of people like me. I went to Belgium for advance treatment.
Several doctors recommended my husband that removal of my breast is indispensable. I requested the doctors to suggest another medication course. As per suggestion, I followed the treatment and it did not cause any serious side effects, which made me pleased. I Thought; may be the doctors were wrong and I didn’t have cancer.
However, after about six months, I started losing weight quickly, my color started to change and I had a continuous pain. My Moroccan doctor advised me to go back to Belgium, so I followed advice. Belgian doctors told my husband that the disease has spread all over my body and they have no hope in my case. Doctors advised:
“You better take your wife back to her home so that she dies peacefully at home!”
We went to France for treatment. The answer was same as the Belgian doctors. Finally, we decided to enter the hospital to remove my breasts through surgery. However, my husband thought of something that we forgot. He suddenly asked me to perform Umrah. I bought a Qur’an from Paris and we left for Umrah. I was very happy because it was the first time for me to visit the Kabah.
When I entered the Haram and first saw the Kabah, I cried a lot because; I regretted on all my past years I spent, without Salaat. I repented:
“O Lord! The doctors were unable to cure me. You have the cure for every disease; all the doors are locked in front of me. I have nothing left to seek except your door, so please, O my Lord! Don’t close your door on me.”
I kept on Dua while I was offering Tawaaf. I asked Allah not to disappoint me or send me back with empty hands.
I went to the Ulama there and requested them to guide me to the book of Dua that can be easy to read.
They guided me to read as much as I can from the Qur’an. They also advised to take a lot of “Tadhalloo” from Zamzam (Tadhalloo is to drink a lot of water until the water reaches your ribs). They also advised me to do Zikar of Allah a lot and recite Salawaat.
In Kabah, I felt pleasant peace and relieved. I requested my husband to allow me to stay inside the Haram, which he granted. In Kabah, there were some Misri and Turkish sisters beside me, who saw me crying a lot. They asked me about the reason. I informed them that I have cancer and while found no place for cure I came here with full conviction. They also accompanied me and we spent time in Tawaaf, Ibadah and Tilawat.
Upper part of my body was swollen and filled with pus. Those sisters recommended me to pour Zamzam on affected area for cure, but due to the fear of unbearable pain, I did not follow their advice. On the fifth day, my friends insisted that I should pour Zamzam on my upper part of the body for Shifa, at the beginning I refused, but I felt something forcing me to do it.
I slowly started trying to go through the parts, later I forced my hands on my upper part and went through my breasts. Something unbelievable happened. There was no swelling, no blood and no pus. I couldn’t believe what I felt. I went through my upper part again, and it was true. I shivered.
I cherished that Allah has full command to do anything what so ever. I asked one of my friends to touch my body with her hand and look for the swelling, she did. And they all spontaneously shouted, Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar. I ran towards my husband in the hotel. I told him of what happened and he couldn’t believe it. Tears rolled down from the eyes of both of us.
Her husband said, do you know that the doctors told me that you would die within a period of three weeks only? Her husband said, all the fortune is within the Hands and Will of Allah. No one knows what the future is holding for us except for Him. We stayed in the Kabah for one week. I paid thanks to Him for His uncountable Graces.
Then we rushed to Masjid an Nabawi and performed Ziyarah. Afterwards we flew to France and met our doctors. They were surprised and became nearly crazy. “Are you the same person?” They asked me. I was very proud to say, with out any doubt yes and this is my husband. We have returned from the house of Allah. They admitted that mine is a very strange and unbelievable case.
They examined me again, and found nothing. I remembered Rasulullah(S) and cried a lot. I cried regretting all what I have missed in my past life. I missed the love of Allah and His Rasul(S). I cried for the time I have wasted away. I ask Allah to forgive me, my husband and all Muslims. [6]
Select Bibliography:
[1]Hadith
[2] Al Silsilat al Sahiyah, 883, Qaherah.
[3] 1-Abizar, Muslim, 4/1922; 2-. Al Tayaalisi 61.
[4] Muslim, 2473.
[5] “Scientific Miracles in Islam & Sunnah Nabawiyah” By: Mohammed Kamil Abdel Samad, Beirut, Lebanon.
[6] Translated from the Arabic article: “Those Who Repented To Allah”, by: Ibrahim Abdullah Al Hazemy, Morocco.
The Writer is Attorney at Law & Religious Scholar
Email:qazishkborhany@hotmail.com
Website: www.durrenajaf.com
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