Infinity Zamzam

"Zamzam" is the name of a well inside Masjid al-Haram in Makkah, which was miraculously brought forth in the time of Ibrahim (alayhisalaam), due to his wife Hajar and infant son Isma’il (alayhisalaam). The waters of the well spring forth to this day; a blessing and a benefit for the Muslimeen.

"May Allah bestow Mercy on Ishmael’s mother! Had she let the Zamzam (flow without trying to control it) (or had she not scooped from that water) (to fill her water-skin), Zamzam would have been a stream flowing on the surface of the earth."

—full hadith: Sahih al-Bukhari 3364

Its benefits and virtues are many, among the most well-known being its healing properties; it is a medicine, by the permission of Allah.

It was narrated that Jabir bin ‘Abdullah said: “I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say, ‘The water of Zamzam is for whatever it is drunk for.’”

—Sunan Ibn Majah 3062

One thing I had only ever seen/heard of among desis (those who hail from the subcontinent) is the diluting of Zamzam with other water to yield an increase in Zamzam. Since learning about the correct methodology and realizing the vast amounts of bid’ah that take place among most Muslims, I had dismissed the practice as an innovation.

Until I asked about it.

The Daleel

Ustadh Tahir Munir said:

It’s true and has been scientifically proven.

But of course, the statements of anyone are not a proof in this religion. So I pressed further:

Does that make it valid in terms of the benefits of actual zamzam? And to what degree can you continue to dilute? Can you do it in perpetuity and have infinity zamzam?

Ustadh Tahir Munir responded:

Have you heard the hadith that the zamzam water acts as that for which it is drunk?

(I responded: Yes)

Many scholars use this Hadith to validate this point. There’s another hadith you may come across which proves this:

It was narrated that Talq bin ‘Ali said: "We went out as a delegation to the Prophet (ﷺ); we gave him our oath of allegiance and prayed with him. We told him that in our land there was a church that belonged to us. We asked him to give us the leftovers of his purification (Wudu’ water). So he called for water, performed Wudu’ and rinsed out his mouth, then he poured it into a vessel and said to us, ‘Leave, and when you return to your land, demolish your church, and sprinkle this water on that place, and take it as a Masjid.’

We said: ‘Our land is far away and it is very hot; the water is far away and it is very hot; the water will dry up.’

He said: ‘Add more water to it, for that will only make it better.’

So we left and when we came to our land we demolished our church, then we sprinkled the water on that place and took it as a Masjid, and we called the Adhan in it. The monk was a man from Tayy’, and when he heard the Adhan, he said: ‘It is a true call.’ Then he headed toward one of the hills and we never saw him again."

—Sunan an-Nasa’i 701

"Add more water to it, for that will only make it better"

This proves that water which is blessed does not decrease in blessings if pure water is added to it. Same is the case with zamzam.

So I, travelingprincess, said:

Makes sense, but one might say, "That was special for the Prophet only."

Ustadh Tahir Munir countered:

We say in response that: the subject isn’t whether this was specific to the Prophet ﷺ. The subject is whether the water was blessed or not.

Secondly, if it specific to the Prophet ﷺ, then that still doesn’t negate the scientific research which proved that zamzam water turns normal water to zamzam.

Thirdly, the saliva of the Prophet being blessed is specific to him ﷺ. But his ﷺ saliva isn’t the only factor which the Shariah declared makes water blessed. Zamzam water itself is blessed. So the point would still stand

What would they say now?

• "Do you know better than the Sahabah?"
• "Who preceded you in this?"

We say that these questions are unislamic, because the Sahabah are to the Prophet like the disciples were to Isa (alayhisalaam); they only convey their Prophet’s teaching, and it is the Prophet’s teaching and understanding which we were commanded to follow. Quran 7:3¹ Awliya in that Ayah refers to everyone after the Prophet ﷺ.

Happy Conclusion

For those who themselves haven’t had a chance to go to Makkah, nor their loved ones, no worries—in much of the world, Zamzam is available from ethnic shops, in various sizes. It is usually behind the counter, so you will have to ask for it. Even if you get a tiny, half-water bottle of it, that would be enough.

For my part, I keep a 5 liter bottle and continuously refill it whenever it runs low, so that I always have Zamzam on hand—and I prefer to drink it exclusively when having water. I’ve been doing this for over a year, alhamdulillah.

You can use any size container you like, even if it’s just a glass or regular sized water bottle, in sha’ Allah.

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