Jeddah, August 27: Zam Zam, the precious and holy water in the precincts of the Grand Mosque in holy city of Makkah that started gushing out nearly 4,000 years ago in a spontaneous way, is still going strong.
The average daily consumption of Zam Zam is 100 cubic metres on regular days, which doubles to 200 cubic metres on Fridays, and shoots up to more than 1,000 cubic metres during the Ramadan and Haj seasons. Not only do pilgrims coming for Haj and Umra from all over the world, but locals also take it home in thousands of cans everyday to drink it to their heart’s content. The consumption of Zam Zam naturally increases in Ramadan because of the large number of pilgrims visiting Makkah. The authorities also transport and supply Zam Zam to the Prophet Muhammad’s (Peace Be Upon Him) Mosque in Madinah.
Aifan Al Juaid, director of Zam Zam water distribution in the Grand Mosque, said in a statement on Tuesday that three million cups of Zam Zam water are consumed daily at the Grand Mosque during the month of Ramadan. “More than 1,800 cubic metres of water are consumed inside the mosque and 270 cubic metres in the courtyards outside each day this Ramadan,” he said.
Pilgrims can drink Zam Zam at 90 drinking points with 1,100 taps inside the mosque and 43 drinking areas of 100 taps outside.
Al Juaid said that new drinking areas have been constructed in the basement, on the first and second floors, and on the Masaa. More drinking facilities have also been arranged in the northern courtyard.
Pilgrims and visitors drink plenty of Zam Zam water. There are many accounts by the holy Prophet, his Companions, and others, extolling the virtues, benefits, and curative values of Zam Zam.
In one description, the Holy Prophet said: “I swear by Allah that it is endeared in the Book of Allah, gratifying in the Book of Allah, the drink of the righteous in the Book of Allah; it satisfies the purpose it is drunk for, and is a curative in the Book of Allah.” Over centuries people gave different names to Zam Zam — some 54 in all. Al Juaid said that Zam Zam water is also supplied to the holy Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah at a daily average of 274 cubic metres.
He said the late King Faisal showed considerable interest in improving the system of Zam Zam water distribution to pilgrims.
The erstwhile Ministry of Haj and Endowments laid down financial and administrative statutes for the distribution of the holy water and established the Zam Zam United Office in 1982, which has been striving to upgrade distribution so that pilgrims, particularly during Haj and Ramadan, so that pilgrims do not find any difficulty in getting desired quantities.
An engineer, Dr. Yahya Hamza Koshak, has documented in detail the story of Zam Zam in his book “Zamzam: The Holy Water.” He has also produced a documentary film titled “Zamzam: Nourishment and Curative,” in Arabic, English, French, Urdu, Bahasa Malayu and Turkish, based on his first-hand experience with the Well of Zam Zam.
In 1395 Hijra (1975G), during King Faisal’s time, the old buildings of Zam Zam were pulled down to widen the area around Kaaíba, which work was completed in a year.
The second widening, in the time of King Khaled, required the moving away of all entrances of Zam Zam. While digging, underground water flooded in many places. There was a risk. Research had to be carried out to protect the well itself.
Koshak was charged with the study. He had to investigate the water source and its outlet. After proper bathing and ablutions, two divers began a mission that had never been undertaken before.
They plunged into the divine waters of Zam Zam on 17 Jumada Al Awal, 1399 Hijra (1979).
–Agencies