Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

 

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Assalamualaikum W.B

I would like to ask a question regarding zam zam water. Is there any credible source for example from hadith about the magical powers of zam zam water? I`ve seen several instances where people bought zam zam water specially for curing illnesses.

 

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

 

Answer:

 

Zam zam water significance

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

 

Without an iota of a doubt, the water from the blessed well of ‘Zam Zam’ in Makkah is one of the miracles and a Sign from Allah Subhanah; but to the best of our knowledge there is absolutely nothing in the authentic and established Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (saws) that this water has any ‘magical’ powers which cures illnesses, etc.  The Messenger of Allah (saws) and the noble companions would wash, bathe, perform ablution, drink, and do whatever one does with normal water.

 

There is one narration where Hadrat Abdullah ibn Abbas (r.a.) advised his companion Abu Jamra to sprinkle ‘zam zam’ water when he was ill and had a fever; but there are countless other narrations where the Messenger of Allah (saws) guided the believers to do the same with any water, not necessarily ‘zam zam’ water.

 

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 4.483         Narrated by Abu Jamra Ad Dabi

I used to sit with Ibn 'Abbas in Mecca. Once I had a fever and he said (to me), "Cool your fever with Zam-zam water, for Allah's Messenger (saws) said: 'The fever is from the heat of the (Hell) Fire; so, cool it with water (or Zam-zam water).' "

 

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 7.620         Narrated by Fatima bint Al Mundhir

Whenever a lady suffering from fever was brought to Asma' bint Abu Bakr, she used to invoke Allah for her and then sprinkle some water on her body, at the chest and say, "Allah's Messenger (saws) used to order us to abate fever with water."

 

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 7.619         Narrated by Nazi

Abdullah bin 'Umar said, "The Prophet (saws) said, 'Fever is from the heat of Hell, so put it out (cool it) with water.'"

 

One should honor the well of ‘zam zam’ and its water no more than it being a Sign from Allah Subhanah, which the Lord Most Merciful bestowed on the mother of Prophet Ismail (a.s.).  To believe that the ‘zam zam’ (or any) water by itself has any special or magical powers to cure illness or bring about any good or save one from any harm would not be consonant with the guidance of the Quran and the Sunnah.  All Power and All Strength is vested in none save Allah Subhanah Alone.

 

Allah Says in His Holy Quran Chapter 35 Surah Fatir verse 2:

2        What Allah out of His Mercy doth bestow on mankind there is none can withhold: what He doth withhold there is none can grant apart from Him: and He is the Exalted in Power Full of Wisdom.

 

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 6 Surah Anaam verse 17:

17      If Allah touch thee with affliction none can remove it but He; if He touch thee with happiness He hath power over all things.

 

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone.  Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

 

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

 

 

Burhan