Imagine the value of water that has special healing properties because it contains a higher concentration (200 mg) of calcium, magnesium salts and fluorides.
Imagine that same water is free of biological contaminants and can both quench thirst and satisfy hunger.
For those who practice Islam, there is a special kind of water believed to contain all of these these properties. According to Islamic belief, the water comes from a famous well that is not more than five feet deep in al Masjid al-Haram, a sacred mosque in Mecca.
As the tradition goes, Haajra (Hajar or Hagar), second wife, after Sara, of Ibrahim (Abraham) and mother of Ismaa'eel (Ishmael), was trying to find water for her son in the hot, dry valley of Mecca. She ran back and forth between two wells seven times and could not find water. When she realized there was no water to be found, she climbed to the top of Mount al-Safaa and prayed to Allah for help. Allah sent Jabreel (Gabriel), who struck the earth and made water appear.
In another version of the story, water suddenly appeared at the feet of Ishmael and Hajar surrounded the water source with sand and stones. Still another version reveals Gabriel scraping the ground with his heel or brushing it with the tip of his wing and sprouting water.
The name itself is thought to have come from Hajar herself. Islamic beliefs teach that Hajar uttered the words "Zam Zam" to stop the well from flowing too abundantly when the water finally came.
Because Zam Zam water is said to strengthen the heart and calm the soul, many practicing Muslims seek the water when they are on Hajj, the holy pilgrimage to Mecca. Many who encounter Zam Zam during Hajj, take the precious liquid back with them as gifts to their respective countries or dip their pilgrimage garments in Zam Zam. Visitors to the mosque who consume Zam Zam water are encouraged to drink the liquid until they are full and rub it over their faces, heads, hands and feet.
Additionally, the original journey of Hajar has become an important focus of commemoration during Hajj. Men are required to run seven times between the hills of Safa and Marwa before drinking Zam Zam water.
The magic and the mystery of Zam Zam water seems to rest on the fact that it heals whatever the person ingesting it drinks it for. If there is an ulcerated eye, then it cures the ulcer. If the body's problem is a gastrointestinal infection, the infection disappears. So it has to be taken and given with extreme sincerity.
Even the Qu'ran speaks about the potency of ZamZam water: "The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: The best water on the face of the earth is the water of Zamzam; it is a kind of food and a healing from sickness.'" (Saheeh al-Jaami', 3302).
The source of the Zam Zam well is not readily available to the public as it once was. At one time, water could be drawn from the well with ropes and buckets. Now, the well is in a basement room that the public is not allowed to enter, and it can only be seen through glass panels. The water is drawn through electric pumps and made available through water fountains and dispensing containers at the mosques in Masjid al Haram in Mecca and Masjid al Nabawi in Medina.
A staff ensures the water is kept clean and readily available on tap. Water bearers in traditional costumes travel the city and offer Zam Zam water to visitors and pilgrims free of charge.
Although sacred to Muslims, Zam Zam water cannot legally be exported from Saudi Arabia for commercial sale. The UK's Food Standard Agency has warned those who think they are purchasing Zam Zam outside of Mecca about fraudulent sales. Some of the water being sold in the UK in 2005 was found to have elevated levels of cancer-causing arsenic.
Muslim leaders have been actively working with health regulators and law enforcement to stop these kind of dishonorable practices.
Sources:
http://members.tripod.com/worldupd ates/newupdates10/id46.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wi ki/Zamzam_Well
http://www.food.gov.uk/news/newsarchiv e/2005/oct/zamzam
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rpBm GhrJH2I