✅Reading Qu’ran over Zam Zam water

According to Islamic tradition, the well of Zamzam was discovered by Hajar, the second wife of Ibrahim (Abraham), and the mother of Ismail (but). It began when Hajar and infant Ismail were left in the desert between the hills of Safa and Marwah all alone by Abraham. Allah (swt) commanded Abraham to leave them there to test his faith in Him. With the day getting hotter as time went by, Ismail became thirsty and he began to cry. Having brought nothing with her, Hajar panicked. She went back and forth between the hills of Safa and Marwah seven times looking for water. On the seventh trip, all of a sudden water came out of the underground. The water kept flowing and Hajar said:” Zome zome”, meaning "stop flowing" and thus the water was named Zamzam.

Ibn Abbas reported that Prophet Muhammad once said:

“The water of Zamzam is good for whatever one intends (while drinking it). If you drink it seeking health, Allah will give you healing. If you drink it to satisfy your hunger, Allah will satisfy your hunger. If you drink it to quench your thirst, Allah will quench your thirst. Zamzam is a well dug by the angel Jibreel by which Allah quenched the thirst of Ismail.”

It was reported that the Prophet (Salla-Allaahu alaihi wa sallam) drank from Zamzam water and he used to carry it and encouraged people to drink it.

Ibn ‘Abbas (Radia-Allaahu ‘anhuma) narrated that the Prophet (Salla-Allaahu alaihi wa sallam) said, “Zamzam water is for what intention it was drunk.” [Ibn Maajah]

Ibn ‘Abbas (Radia-Allaahu ‘anhuma) narrated that the Messenger of Allaah (Salla-Allaahu alaihi wa sallam) came to the drinking place and asked for water.

Al-‘Abbas (Radia-Allaahu ‘anhu) said,

“O Fadl! Go to your mother and bring a drink from her for Allaah’s Messenger.” Allaah’s Messenger (Salla-Allaahu alaihi wa sallam) said, “Give me water to drink.”

Al-‘Abbas (Radia-Allaahu ‘anhu) said,

“O Allaah’s Messenger! The people put their hands in it.” Allaah’s Messenger (Salla-Allaahu alaihi wa sallam) again said, “Give me water to drink.”

So, he drank from that water and then went to the Zamzam (well) and there the people were offering water to the others and working at it (drawing water from the well).

The Prophet (Salla-Allaahu alaihi wa sallam) then said to them,

“Carry on! You are doing a good deed.” Then he (Salla-Allaahu alaihi wa sallam) said, “Was I not afraid that other people would compete with you (in drawing water from Zamzam), I would certainly take the rope and put it over this (i.e. his shoulder) (to draw water).” On saying that, the Prophet (Salla-Allaahu alaihi wa sallam) pointed to his shoulder. [Al-Bukhaari]

Ibn ‘Abbas (Radia-Allaahu ‘anhuma) narrated that the Prophet (Salla-Allaahu alaihi wa sallam) said,

“Zamzam water is for what intention it was drunk. So if you drink it seeking healing, then Allaah will cure you; and if you drink it to get full, then Allaah will fill you, and if you drink it to quench your thirst, then Allaah will quench your thirst and it is the Hazmah of Jibreel (i.e. he struck it with his leg, so the place was lowered and water gushed forth), and the drink of Ishmael.“ [Al-Haakim and ad-Daar al-Qutni]

‘Aishah (Radia-Allaahu ‘anha) said that she used to carry Zamzam water and that the Prophet (Salla-Allaahu alaihi wa sallam) also carried it with him. [At-Tirmidhi and authenticated by al-Albaani in al-Silsilah as-Saheeha no. 883]

Though there is doubt in the authenticity of some of these ahadeeths, scholars have corrected and authenticated them. The Companions have acted according to them and people have continued to act upon them till this day. This confirms what Muslims reported regarding what the Prophet (Salla-Allaahu alaihi wa sallam) said about Zamzam:

“It is blessed and it is the food”

and Abu Dawoud added to the hadeeth: “and it is a cure for any illness.”

It has not been proven that the Prophet (Salla-Allaahu alaihi wa sallam) recited the Qur’an on Zamzam water for any of his Companions to drink, nor did he wipe his body with it for any reason, hoping to cure him from an ailment, although he was blessed and of high rank and he was keen on doing good for his people. Also, he repeatedly went to Zamzam (well) before he migrated to Madinah, and during his Umrah (minor pilgrimage) and Hajj after migration. It was not affirmed that he guided his Companions to read over the water so that they could use it to cure themselves as they did with other water, despite its blessing according to the aforementioned ahadith (Prophetic narrations). [Fatawa of the Permanent Committee of Ifta no. 1515]

The basis of this is the following hadīth:

It was narrated that Jābir bin ‘Abdullāh said: “I heard the Messenger of Allāh (ﷺ) say: ‘The water of Zamzam is for whatever it is drunk for.’”
Ibn Mājah | an-Nisā'ī

Ibn al-ʿArabī said:

'I was staying in Mecca in Dhul Ḥijja in the year 489. I drank a lot of Zamzam water and every time I drank it it was to increase my knowledge and faith until Allāh opened for me knowledge from its blessing in a period that He made easy for me. However, I forgot to drink it for action, if only I had drunk it for them both! So Allah gave me an opening in them both, but He did not decree this, and my desire for knowledge is more than that of action. We ask Allāh for protection and success through his mercy.'

➤BAYAN