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The Well of Zamzam that gushed forth underneath
the footsteps of Isma`il (peace and blessings be upon him) is
considered one of the important elements within the Sacred
Sanctuary. Actually, this blessed Well had passed by several
incidents which we are going to mention here as follows:
Zamzam Before Islam
It was reported on the authority of Ibn `Abbas
(may Allah be pleased with him) that Abrahim (peace and blessings
be upon him) came to Makkah along with Hajar, the mother of
Isma`il, who was a suckling baby. He left her and her son in a
place on the spot of Zamzam with a water-skin containing some
water, and set out homeward. She used to drink and then give suck
to her son until the water had all been used up. Then, her child
(Isma`il) became thirsty and she started looking at him tossing in
agony.
The mother of Isma`il thought that he was dying of
thirst; so, she left him and went to the mountain
of Safa (that was the nearest mountain to her on that land). She stood on
it and started looking at the valley keenly so that she might see
somebody, but she could not see anyone. Then she descended from
Safa and when she reached the valley, she ran like a person in
distress and trouble, till she crossed the valley and reached the
Marwah mountain where she stood and started looking, expecting to
see somebody, but she could not see any. She repeated that
(running between Safa and Marwah) seven times. When she returned
to her son, she heard a voice and she said, 'O, (whoever you may
be)! You have made me hear your voice; have you got something to
help me?' Ibn `Abbas added, The Archangel Gabriel stroke (dug)
the earth (at the place of Zamzam with his heel or his wing), till
water flowed from that place. She started making something like a
basin around it, using her hand in this way, and started filling
her water-skin with water. Then she drank (water) and suckled her
child." This incident was mentioned in detail by Al-Bukhari in
his Sahih.
Zamzam was the First Sign of
Permanent Settlement in Makkah
Al-Azraqi mentioned in his Akhbar Makkah and
At-Tabari in his Tarikh Ar-Rusul wal-Muluk that some people from
the tribe of Jurhum or a family from Jurhum passed by Hajar and
her child, as they (i.e. the Jurhum people) were coming in a
trading caravan from Ash-Sham (the Levant). They landed in the
lower part of Makkah where they saw a bird hovering above the
valley. Someone said, "This bird must be hovering over water (of
a well), though we know that there is no water in this valley."
They sent two men to see what is there. They came to Isma`il's
mother and talked to her. Then, they returned to inform their
people of the good news (that there is water). So, they all came
and settled beside the water after getting the permission of
Isma`il's mother. The whole story is mentioned in detail in
Sahih Al-Bukhari. The narration cited that she granted them
permission to dwell in this place without having any right to
possess the water and they agreed to that.
The area of dwellings at Makkah had been
increasing especially after Abraham and his son Isma`il (peace and
blessings be upon them) built the Sacred House. The tribe of
Jurhum continued to take charge of the Sacred House and the Well
of Zamzam for a period of time until a Yemenite tribe so called
Khuza`ah emigrated to this place after the collapse of the
Ma'rib dam. Khuza`ah went into battle with Jurhum and at the end
Khuza`ah were victorious and took charge of the Sacred House.
The Jurhumites were finally driven out from Makkah
and they were separated in the province ofTuhamah. In the fifth century, Qusayy Ibn Kilab established himself in
control of Makkah after a fierce battle with the tribe of Khuza`ah
ending with their evacuation from Makkah and joining Kinanah under
his authority. He thereupon brought people of Quraish to Makkah
and divided it among its clans. The Well of Zamzam at that time
was neglected since it had been buried and its landmarks were
hidden completely. It continued to be so until `Abd Al-Muttalib
Ibn Hashim, the grandfather of the Prophet, peace and blessings be
upon him, rediscovered it. One may wonder: how could people of
Makkah and the pilgrims drink (water) after covering the Well of
Zamzam?
The answer is: there were wells and springs that
were dug after the disappearance of the Well of Zamzam such as the
well of Al-Yusrah that was dug by Ka`b Ibn Lu'ayy and another
well so called Ar-Rwua; they were opposite to the mount of
`Arafah.
`Abd Al-Muttalib dug Zamzam following the Incident
of the Elephant after he saw a spiritual figure in a vision
saying, "Dig Zamzam." Then, it vanished and once again came to
him and said, "Dig Zamzam which is located between dung and
blood, an ants' nest, and pecking ravens."
When `Abd Al-Muttalib woke up, he went immediately
to the Sacred House wherein he discovered the place, where a cow
was to be slaughtered at Al-Hazurah (a market in the Pre-Islamic
period of Ignorance) but it escaped from its slaughterer. Then, it
was overcome by death in the Sanctuary in the very place of
Zamzam. The cow departed life and its flesh was carried away.
Then, a raven came to eat from it and it fell in the dung and then
ants gathered around what remained of it.
`Abd Al-Muttalib rose and started to dig in the
assigned location but people of Quraish came to him and asked him,
"What are you doing, why do you dig in the Sanctuary?" `Abd
Al-Muttalib replied: "I am going to dig this well and fight
anyone who tries to bar me." He continued along with his sole
son Al-Harith at that time to dig despite their vehement protest.
Some Quraishites disputed with them while others stopped because
they knew well `Abd Al-Muttalib's high-ranked pedigree. `Abd
Al-Muttalib was sharply harmed until he vowed that if he would
have ten sons he would slaughter one of them (in sacrifice).
Digging continued until he found golden swords. When the people
saw the swords they said, "O `Abd Al-Muttalib, we should have a
share in what you have found." He replied that these swords
would go to the Sacred House. He afterwards continued to dig until
water flowed in the bottom.
Then, he built a cistern beside it and used to
fill it with water along with his son so that the pilgrims may
drink thereof. But some people of Quraish used to break this
cistern by night and when `Abd Al-Muttalib wakes up he reforms it.
When their corruption to the basin increased, `Abd Al-Muttalib
supplicated his Lord (against them), then a shadowy figure came to
him in a vision and told him to say: "O Lord, I do not make it
permissible for the one who wants to take a bath in it but it is
permissible for anyone to have a drink (of water) from it." When
`Abd Al-Muttalib woke up, he proclaimed what he had seen in the
Sanctuary, then he went out. Afterwards, no one of Quraish
corrupts his cistern unless he is afflicted with a malady in his
body. So, they stopped corrupting it altogether.
Then, `Abd Al-Muttalib married another woman who
bore him ten sons. He intended to sacrifice one of his sons, so he
gathered them in the Ka`bah. The lots were cast, and it was
`Abdullah's arrow that came out. But after consultation with
people they suggested to put `Abdullah and ten camels side by side
and cast lots between them. If the arrow falls against `Abdullah,
he should add more ten camels and so forth until his Lord accepts
them and the arrow falls against the camels. The lots were cast
ten times until the arrow fell against the camels. At last `Abd
Al-Muttalib became certain that God had accepted his expiation,
and the camels were duly sacrificed.
Zamzam in the Islamic Era
After `Abd Al-Muttalib dug the Well of Zamzam, it
became the main source for watering the pilgrims to the Sacred
House of God. With the advent of Islam, its importance increased
since many Hadiths were reported in its favor. We may cite in this
regard some of these Hadiths as follows:
Ahmad reported that the Messenger of Allah (peace
and blessings be upon him) said, "Fever is from the heat of the
Hell-fire; so, cool it with Zamzam water." (Musnad Ahmad)
`Ali Ibn Abu Talib (may Allah be pleased with him)
also reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)
performed Tawaf (circumambulation) of Ifadah, then he asked that a
bucket of Zamzam water should be brought to him. He afterwards
performed ablution with this water and then said, "Draw water, O
Banu `Abd Al-Muttalib; were it not that people would usurp this
right of supplying water from you, I would have drawn it along
with you."
Disappearance of the sources and
springs of water before the Day of Judgment except that of Zamzam
`Uthman Ibn Saj narrated, "Muqatil informed me
on the authority of Ad-Dahhaq Ibn Muzahim that Allah, Glorified
and Exalted be He, will take away the fresh water before the Day
of Judgment. All sources and springs of water-supply will be lost
except the water of Zamzam and the earth will issue (cast away)
what is in its hollows of gold and silver. At that moment, the man
will come with a sack full of gold and silver and offer it saying:
is there anyone who accepts this from me? He will be replied: had
you offered it to me yesterday I would have accepted it from
you."
Description of the Well of Zamzam
in the course of time
Ibn Juraij was reported as having said that
`Ata' described to him the way of their watering from Zamzam
saying: (The Well of) Zamzam had two cisterns in the first era;
one between it and (Ar-Rukn) the Corner through which the pilgrims
would have their drink of water and another cistern from behind
for performing ablution. It had an attached reservoir to which
water comes through the gate of As-Safa and it had no window at
that time.
It was merely a well surrounded by a fence of
stones that had been simply built. It continued to be so until the
era of the `Abbasid caliph Abu Ja`far Al-Mansur who was the first
to build a dome above the Well of Zamzam in the year 145 AH.
Zamzam was sixty cubits length. Its bottom
included three springs: one facing the black corner, another
opposite to mountains of Abu Qubais and As-Safa, and the third one
facing Al-Marwah. The width of the mouth of Zamzam was 3.2/3
cubits.
The commander of the believers Abu Ja`far was the
first to construct marbles on Zamzam, on the window, and to tile
its floor with marble during his caliphate. Then, Al-Mahdi
reconstructed them during his caliphate and roofed the room of
Zamzam with teak at the hands of `Umar Ibn Faraj. The little dome
was covered with mosaic as well as the building of Zamzam was
restored and a large dome of teak was constructed above the room
allocated for watering the pilgrims instead of the little dome
that was above the Well of Zamzam. This was during the caliphate
of Al-Mahdi in the year 160 AH. The Well of Zamzam and its dome
was then restored and was covered with marble during the caliphate
of the `Abbasid caliph Al-Mu`tasim in the year 220 AH.
A description for the cistern of
Zamzam
This cistern is 39 cubits from inside and 40
cubits from outside. Its diameter is 12 cubits and is tiled with
marble. Its walls are covered with marble. The length of its walls
is 11 fingers and their width is 8 fingers. The area of this
cistern through which the pilgrims have their drink of water is 28
cubits. This cistern is surrounded by 12 teak cylinder. The length
of each cylinder is 4 cubits. Above the room there is a dome made
of teak whose outside is green and its inside is yellow.
The most important repairs
The dome of Zamzam received several repairs and
restorations in the course of time. The most important of these
repairs are the following:
The Sacred Mosque was restored in the Mamluk era
during the reign of Sultan An-Nassir Faraj Ibn Barquq after fire
erupted in the Sacred Mosque in the night of 28 Shawwal, 802 AH.
The dome of Zamzam was also restored in the year 815 AH at the
hands of the Judge of Makkah Jamal Ad-Din Muhammad Ibn Abu
Dhahirah. In the era of Sultan Qaitbai, the Well of Zamzam was
restored and its marbles were replaced in 884 AH.
In the Ottoman era, the Sacred Mosque received
great interest and several repairs were made to the building of
Zamzam especially during the reign of Sultan Salim II, 982 AH. The
dome of Zamzam was also restored in the era of Sultan Ahmad IV,
1083 AH. Then, the building of Zamzam was restored in the era of
Sultan `Abd Al-Hamid I, 1187 AH and once again in 1203 AH.
Before nowadays, the greatest works of building
that were made to the dome of Zamzam was accomplished during the
era of Sultan `Abd Al-Hamid the Second 1300 AH. These works were
made by the engineer As-Said Muhammad Sadiq. Eventually, during
the modern era, the building of Zamzam was reconstructed but away
from its original location since the old building that was located
near the Ka`bah used to hinder Tawaf in the modern age because of
the large number of the pilgrims. The water of Zamzam was
conducted to its new location in the eastern part of the Sanctuary
by way of engines for lifting water and pipes. There became an
assigned place for men and another for women. Finally, it is worth
mentioning that despite the passage of thousands of years on
discovering the Well of Zamzam, its water remained and will
continue to be a source of purity and cure.
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