Apart from Darb Zubaida that mobilized the cultural and commercial activities in the region and provided pilgrims a platform to exchange their ideas and reach commercial dealings, her another achievement was the canal named Ain Zubaida.
Few sites remaining as her monuments can still be seen at Birkah Al Areesh located 70km north and Birka Al Bidaa, located 20 km northeast of Turbat Hayel. Another site is Birka Al-Jumaima, 14 km east of Rafha and Birkat Zarood, 50 km northeast of Buqaa.
Zubaida's another milestone achievement was the canal named Ain Zubaida. After her husband's death in 193 A.H., Zubaida went for Haj. She noticed great scarcity of drinking water in Arafat, Mina and Makkah. Pilgrims were suffering with thirst and the cost of water had risen to one dinar a bottle. She was so distressed and moved by the situation that she decided to build a canal. She enlisted the services of the best engineers to build a canal that could provide free water to the pilgrims throughout all areas of Makkah. Ibn Al Jawzi recorded that Zubaida ordered engineers to conduct an urgent study to bring water to Makkah. After a survey, they reported to her that it would be an extremely difficult job, since it requires digging tunnels under massive rocks and building tunnels along slopes for over 10 miles. The report also concluded that it would be a very costly project.
"After surveying the entire area they decided to bring the canal from Hunain valley where water springs from the mountains provided water to the residents and for irrigation. The valley of Hunain was the place where the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) had won Ghazwa-e-Hunain. The area was rocky, the land was barren and dry and the weather very hot. It was very difficult to sustain a canal on the surface of the earth, so the engineers planned to make a subterranean canal in the form of a tunnel (aqueduct), with water stations raised above the ground at different intervals, wherefrom people could meet their water needs."
On the orders of Zubaida, the entire area of Hunain valley, which contained springs and other sources of water, was bought by paying a huge amount of money. To bring water through the mountains was a Herculean task, which required a large number of manpower, enormous funds and expertise for cutting the mountains and digging the barren and rocky hills. But nothing could frustrate Zubaida's determination. "For each stroke of spade and shovel, I'm ready to give a dirham if needed", she said and the work was launched. The whole project took three years and cost the equivalent of billions of dollars of our time, which she paid from her own money.
After several years of hard work, the canal was eventually brought all the way down to Jabal-e-Rahma in Arafat, and then to Mina and Muzdalifah. The spring water from Hunain valley and whatever water sources found on the way were converged into the canal. The water supply through this canal brought great relief to the pilgrims as well as to the residents of Makkah for more than thousand years. The remains of this historical canal can still be seen on the side of Mount Arafat.
On a historic day, a crowd had gathered outside the beautiful palace of Queen Zubaida, waiting for her audience. The queen appeared in the balcony and very gracefully addressed the crowd: “Today I close all the account books on the Makkah Canal. Those who owe me any money need not pay back. And those whom I owe any, will be paid immediately and double the amount.” Saying this, she ordered that all the account books be thrown into the river and said: “My reward is with Allah.”
Sheikh Abdullah bin Mubarak narrated that he saw Queen Zubaida in a dream and asked her. What Almighty Allah did with you? She said, My Lord granted me forgiveness on the first stroke of the shovel on Makkah route.
This is an interesting contrast. If austerity elevated the name of Rabia Basri, the wealth raised the name of Queen Zubaida. Today we have thousands of Muslim women who are millionaires and Muslims are facing enormous difficulties, let them get inspiration from Queen Zubaida. May Allah grant her the best reward.