MAKKAH, 2 January 2007 — Among the many different types of gifts that Haj pilgrims buy for their loved ones back home there is nothing more popular than Zamzam water, something that is extremely popular among foreign pilgrims.
Ismaeel Abu Rehab, an Egyptian pilgrim, said that Zamzam water is the best gift he could possibly take for his family back home. “My wife asked me to bring large gallons of Zamzam water.
She’s not bothered so much about gold and jewelry. In Egypt we generally find it difficult to get hold of Zamzam water. The Zamzam that is sold in Egypt is usually 90 percent mixed with non-Zamzam water,” said Abu Rehab.
Abu Rehab has been asked by 40 of his close friends and relatives to bring 40 gallons of Zamzam water.
“I do not know how I am going to be able to do that but I will try to buy for my close relatives and hope the rest will understand that I cannot fill the airplane with Zamzam water,” he said.
Muslims consider Zamzam water to be holy. The water comes from a well located in the Grand Mosque in Makkah close to the Holy Kaaba. It was in Makkah thousands of years ago that while fulfilling Allah’s order Prophet Ibrahim (pecae be upon him) left behind his baby son Ismail and wife Hajar without any water and food.
After a few days under the scorching sun, Ismail grew thirsty and so Hajar ran between the hills of Al-Safa and Al-Marwa seven times looking for water. Hajar left Ismaeel close to the place where the Ka’ba currently stands. When she returned, she found water flowing from beneath Ismaeel’s feet. It is this sacred water that is called Zamzam.
Moroccan pilgrim Zainab Lunati says that Zamzam water is the best gift anyone could bring for their loved ones back home. “Zamzam water has great religious significance to Muslims because the Prophet (peace be upon him) urged Muslims to drink it saying it is a cure for all diseases,” she said, adding, “I have three sick relatives who have asked me to bring Zamzam for them.”
Ammar Zaitooni, a Tunisian pilgrim, said he is taking two gallons of Zamzam to France. “One gallon is for me and the other is for my wife. My gallon is only mine and I will ensure it lasts me the entire year until I come back either for Haj or Ramadan,” said Zaitooni.
“I only drink it when I am fasting. When I am not fasting, I make sure I only drink a teaspoon so it doesn’t finish quickly,” he added.
Selling Zamzam on a street corner close to the Grand Mosque sat Imam Al-Muwallad. Al-Muwallad says he sells a large quantity of Zamzam during Haj and Ramadan.
“Most of my customers are elderly men and women. The prices differ. We sell the five liter gallons for five riyals, the ten liter ones for ten riyals and the large 20 liter gallons for fifteen riyals,” he said.
Despite the fact that Zamzam is provided free of charge and there are taps that provide free Zamzam close to the Grand Mosque many people still opt to buy Zamzam from street sellers to avoid queuing up.
Matar Al-Otaibi sells Zamzam on the Jeddah to Makkah highway. Al-Otaibi says he sells his Zamzam quickly if a bus full of pilgrims stops to buy from him.
“We try to avoid the authorities as much as possible. It’s easy to do so at the moment. The authorities are busy ensuring that traffic runs smoothly,” said Al-Otaibi, who is a schoolteacher.
“I’m a teacher and I sell Zamzam each year during the Haj because it brings me extra cash,” he said.
About 32 million liters of Zamzam water has been distributed since the first day of the Haj season this year, according to the deputy chairman of the United Zamzam Office Suleiman Abu Ghelya.
“The Zamzam water has been bottled in three-liter cans, 20-liter cans, 300-milliliter packets and 1.5-liter packets at the mechanized bottling center at the Rasaifa District,” Abu Ghelya told Arab News.
Abu Ghelya said the mechanized bottling center was establishment in 2001 with an aim to guarantee the purity and hygienic standard of the water supplied to the pilgrims.
Manned by more than 1,200 workers, the Zamzam office supplied the water to thousands of pilgrims residing in 6,000 buildings in the holy city.
He said the office would continue the door delivery of the holy water until all the pilgrims leave the city after completing their rituals.
After having sterilized and filtered the water cans are taken to the Zamzam office for distribution to the pilgrims. The home-delivery workers also collect the used cans from the pilgrim residences.
Abu Ghelya added that additional supply teams have been sent to the Aziziya and Al-Moabadah districts because of the increasing number of pilgrims being accommodated there.
