6 Unique Facts about the Zamzam Well in Mecca that Never Runs Dry
Photo: Robot carrying Zamzam water at the Grand Mosque. (Doc: Arab News screenshot)
- Zamzam water has many features compared to water in general. The well where Zamzam water comes from never runs out even though it is always taken in large quantities every day.
The difference between Zamzam water and other well water lies in the quality of calcium and magnesium salts. The Prophet Muhammad himself praised its qualities, describing it as nutritious and as having healing properties.
Many hadith literature narrates statements that emphasize the blessing properties of Zamzam water, such as its ability to satisfy hunger, quench thirst, and cure diseases.
Apart from that, there are a number of interesting facts about Zamzam water. The following is his explanation quoted by CNBC Indonesia, Tuesday (26/3).
1. 4,000 years old
Quoting Arab News, historians and geologists agree that the Zamzam well, which is located only 20 meters east of the Kaaba in the Grand Mosque, is at least 4,000 years old.
Muslims believe the well was built on a spring that sprang up miraculously to alleviate the suffering of Siti Hajar, the wife of the Prophet Ibrahim, and her son Ismail who were thirsty in the middle of the desert.
The 9th century Sahih Al-Bukhari, considered the most reliable collection of hadith, records the sayings and teachings of the Prophet Muhammad telling how Hajar ran seven times between the hills of Safa and Marwa in search of water. Then the Angel Gabriel appeared and created flowing water from the barren land.
2. Has the meaning "stop flowing"
According to the Zamzam Study and Research Center in Saudi Arabia, the name Zamzam comes from the phrase Zome Zome, which means 'stop flowing,'. Hajar said this sentence when he was overwhelmed by the sight of a magical spring that continued to emit water without stopping.
Over time, the area around the well became a resting place for caravans, which eventually developed into the city of Mecca, which in 570 AD became the birthplace of the Prophet Muhammad.
3. Flows 18.5 liters of water per second
In the beginning, water was drawn from wells traditionally using buckets. However, now there are electric pumps that can suck up to 18.5 liters of water per second. The old funnel of the well, complete with pulleys and buckets used in the past, is now on display at the Architecture Exhibition of the Two Holy Mosques in Mecca.
4. A well that never runs dry
Every year, millions of Hajj and Umrah pilgrims visit Mecca and drink Zamzam water. However, the well never runs dry, regardless of rainfall conditions and the increasing number of pilgrims.
Currently, monitoring water levels in wells and surrounding aquifers is the responsibility of the Saudi Zamzam Study and Research Center.
5. There is checking of Zamzam water samples every day
To ensure that Zamzam water meets the highest international standards for drinking water, 100 random samples are checked every day. The samples were tested for microbiological and chemical purity in a laboratory inside the Grand Mosque.
6. There is a robot that distributes Zamzam water
During rush hour, there are staff at the Grand Mosque who distribute Zamzam water to the congregation. In early 2022, the Grand Mosque began testing the use of smart robots that distribute bottles filled with Zamzam water to mosque congregations. In one go, the robot can carry 30 bottles.