al-Jazeera – Miraculous Zamzam
September 18, 2011 in Environment, Uncategorized
A well in the desert 4,000 years old and still providing water for millions all year round: that is the story of the Zamzam well in Masjid al-Haram, Islam’s holiest site.
Forty centuries after coming into being, the revered well – located within the mosque in Mecca – continues to provide thousands of gallons of water daily to pilgrims who descend on the city from across the world.
In the middle of the Arabian Desert and far away from any other source or body of water, the well’s self-replenishing ability has baffled many. Its water is served to the public through coolers positioned throughout the mosque.
Muslim scholars say there is nothing ordinary about this water – from how the well came into being in the middle of the desert, to its consistent supply over thousands of years.
Some swear that the water has medicinal values.
Muslims believe the well was revealed to Hagar, the wife of Abraham. She was desperately seeking water for her infant son Ishmael, but could find none. Hagar ran seven times back and forth in the scorching heat between the two hills of Safa and Marwa looking for help. It is believed that Ishmael scraped the ground with his heel and the Zamzam water simply appeared.
The story of Hagar and the divine creation of the Zamzam well is still emulated today by pilgrims coming to Mecca either during Hajj or Umrah. Like Hagar, pilgrims run between the hills of Safa and Marwa seven times.
Zamzam is also bottled and distributed as a gift to millions worldwide. Over time the water has become the most anticipated souvenir from pilgrims returning from Mecca.
You can see photos I took at the bottling plant above, and the report I filed below:
Source: http://blogs.aljazeera.net/middle-east/2009/11/27/miraculous-zamzam
