Nestled in the heart of the Sacred Mosque in Makkah lies the Well of Zamzam, a timeless testament to divine mercy. Its origins trace back to the profound history of Hajar (Alaiha As-Salam) and her infant son, Ismail (Alaihi As-Salam). Left in a barren, uncultivated desert valley, Hajar’s desperate search for sustenance was answered by Allah with a miraculous, unceasing spring. For millennia, this sacred water has nourished pilgrims, rulers, and believers from all corners of the earth, serving as a continuous physical and spiritual provision.
The profound virtues of Zamzam are firmly established within Islamic tradition. The Prophet (Salallahu Alaihi Wa Sallam) famously encapsulated its miraculous nature, stating: “The water of Zamzam is for whatever it is drunk for” (Sunan Ibn Majah).
It is not merely a means of physical hydration, but a divinely blessed substance. The Messenger of Allah (Salallahu Alaihi Wa Sallam) further described it as “a blessed water, a nourishment for the hungry, and a healing for the sick.”
Because of this prophetic guarantee, the act of drinking Zamzam is intrinsically linked with earnest supplication (Dua). Understanding its immense value, the righteous predecessors and towering figures of Islamic scholarship historically approached this water with deliberate and profound intentions. They recognized that the moment the water passes the lips is an opportunity for profound spiritual transaction. They would drink it to seek immense goals—whether it was to master complex academic texts, to attain a flawless memory for the preservation of knowledge, to find relief from overwhelming hardship, or to secure salvation in the Hereafter.
The compilation of these historical and biographical accounts serves as both a vital record and a deep source of inspiration. By recording the stories of individuals whose earnest Duas were answered after drinking Zamzam, we witness the living reality of the Prophet’s promise (Salallahu Alaihi Wa Sallam). The following narratives demonstrate that the well’s miracles are not relegated to the distant past, but continue to flow endlessly for the sincere supplicant.
There is only 1 supplications reported from Ibn Abbas regarding Zamzam:
1- Please note that literally any supplication can be made before drinking the Zamzam, because of the words of the Prophet, “The water of Zamzam is for whatever it is drunk for”.
2- The Dua of Ibn Abbas (Radi Allahu Anhuma):
Allahumma inni as’aluka ‘ilman nafi’an, wa rizqan wasi’an, wa shifa’an min kulli da’in.
O Allah, I ask You for beneficial knowledge, abundant provision, and healing from every illness.
(Sunan ad-Daraqutni (Hadith 2738), Al-Mustadrak ‘ala al-Sahihayn by Al-Hakim (Hadith 1739), and Sunan al-Kubra by Al-Bayhaqi (Hadith 9442). It is authentically reported as the Athar (action/statement) of Abdullah ibn Abbas when he drank Zamzam.)
Reports of accepted Duas from the Salaf (pious predecessors):
1. “It is narrated from our Imam ash-Shafi‘i (Rahimahullah) that he said: I drank it (Zamzam) for three things: for archery, and I would hit ten out of ten, and seven out of seven; for knowledge, and I became as you see; and for entering Paradise, and I hope for that from Allah.” (Al-Jawahir wad-Durar Fee Tarjumati Shaykh Al-Islam ibn Hajar, 1/166)
2. “Ibn Khuzaymah was once asked: ‘From where were you given knowledge?’ He replied: ‘The Messenger of Allah (Salallahu Alaihi Wa Sallam) said: Zamzam water is for whatever it is drunk for; and when I drank Zamzam, I asked Allah for beneficial knowledge.’” (Tazkiratul-Huffadh 2/208)
3. It was narrated from Al-Hafiz ad-Dimyati (and) that he authenticated it. He then stated: “We have transmitted in Al-Mujalasah by Abu Bakr ad-Dinawari that Sufyan ibn ‘Uyaynah narrated the hadith: ‘The water of Zamzam is for whatever purpose it is drunk.’ A man arose from the assembly and then returned, saying: ‘O Abu Muhammad, is the hadith you narrated to us regarding Zamzam not authentic?’ He [Sufyan] replied: ‘Yes.’ The man said: ‘Indeed, I have just drunk a bucket of Zamzam water with the intention that you narrate to me one hundred hadiths.’ Sufyan said to him: ‘Sit.’ So he sat, and [Sufyan] narrated one hundred hadiths to him.”
4. “I drank Zamzam and asked Allah to grant me excellence in authorship.”[As-Silah Li Ibn Bashkowaal, p. 515] This is reported from Abu ‘Abd Allah al-Hakim an-Naysaburi. Later scholars mention his extraordinary output in hadith authorship as the visible fruit of that supplication.
5. “Al-Khatib al-Baghdadi, when he performed Hajj, drank three draughts of Zamzam and asked Allah for three needs…” [Al-Muntazim Li Ibn Al-Jawzi 16/134]
The first: That he narrate the history of Baghdad. The second: That he dictate hadith in the Jami’ al-Mansur. The third: To be buried next to the grave of Bishr al-Hafi
Allah decreed all of the above to take place. [تذكرة الحفاظ 3/1193] [Tazkiratul-Huffadh 3/1193] [Al-Jawahir Ad-Durar 1/166]
[The translation of the second paragraph for point 5 was taken from here.]
6. Qadhi Abu Bakr ibn al-Arabi said, “I used to drink Zamzam water frequently, and whenever I drank it, I intended knowledge and faith; so Allah opened for me, through its blessing, the amount of knowledge that He made easy for me…” [Al-Awasim Min Al-Qawasim Li Ibn Arabi, p. 16]
7. Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani said, “I myself drank it once when I was at the beginning of seeking hadith, and I asked Allah to grant me the state of adh-Dhahabi in hadith memorization. Then I performed Hajj again after nearly twenty years, finding in myself the desire for more than that rank, so I asked for a rank higher than it, and I hope Allah will grant me that.”
This is the statement of Ibn Hajar al-‘Asqalani, and later scholars explicitly said that his wish was fulfilled. (Al-Jawahir wad-Durar 1/166, Tabaqaat Al- Huffadh, p. 547)
8. Imam As-Suyuti said, “When I performed Hajj, I drank Zamzam for several things, among them that I should reach in fiqh the rank of Siraj al-Din al-Bulqini, and in hadith the rank of al-Hafiz Ibn Hajar.” [Husn Al-Muhadarah 1/388]
And later biographers cited his immense attainment in both fields as the realized outcome of that intention.
9. Sulayman ibn Hisham al-Ghammaz, when he came to Zamzam, he asked Allah for knowledge and understanding of the Qur’an, so Allah granted him great knowledge of His Book, to the point that he said about himself: ‘As for the Qur’an, I do not think there is anyone in my land more knowledgeable of it than me.’” [As-Silah Li Ibn Bashkowaal 1/310]
10. Yahya al-Ansari al-Qurtubi drank Zamzam for the memorization of the Qur’an, and its memorization was made easy for him in the shortest time.” [Al-Takmilah li-Kitāb as-Ṣilah li-Ibn al-Abbār, 4/188]
11. It was reported about al-Bulqini in his biography, “He had not previously advanced much in Arabic studies, so when he performed Hajj he drank Zamzam for understanding it; then when he returned, he devoted himself to studying it and became highly proficient in it within a short time.” [Ad-Daw’ al-Lami’ li-as-Sakhawi 4/109]
12. Regarding the father of Imam Ibn al-Jazari, it was said, “His father was a merchant, and he remained for forty years without being granted a child. Then he performed Hajj, drank Zamzam, and asked Allah to grant him a learned son. Then the author was born to him after Tarawih on Saturday night…” [Al-Ghayah Fee Sharh Al-Hidayah Fee Ilm Ar-Riwayah Lis-Sakhaawi 1/65]
13. Abdullah ibn al-Mubarak said, “O Allah, Ibn Abi al-Mawali narrated to us from Muhammad ibn al-Munkadir, from Jabir, from Your Prophet ﷺ that he said: ‘Zamzam water is for whatever it is drunk for,’ and I am drinking it for the thirst of the Day of Resurrection (i.e I’m drinking it so that I don’t feel thirsty on the day of Resurrection).” (Al-Hirz al-Thameen lil-Hisn al-Haseen, Ad’iyat al-Hajj)
14. Al-Hakim said, “I drank Zamzam water and asked Allah to grant me excellence in authorship.” [Tazkiratul-Huffadh 3/1044]
Later scholars mention the enormous number of his works as a sign of that acceptance.
15. It is reported that Imam Abu Hanifah drank Zamzam in Makkah with the intention of gaining knowledge and fiqh, and Allah granted him that, until he became the foremost jurist of his time.
[Hashiyat Ibn ‘Abidin, Sharh al-Zabidi ‘ala al-Ihya’, Tuhfat al-Muhtaj, al-Fatawa al-Kubra]
16. Ibn al-Qayyim said that he personally tried Zamzam for healing, and that he was cured from several illnesses by Allah’s permission. [Zad al-Ma’ad]
[Sources of stories:
From Islamweb.net – Stories 1, 3, 7, 14, 16.
From alforqan.net (Ma Zamzam Fee Hayat Al-Ulama)- Stories 2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12.
From ‘al-Lulu al-Munazzam fee Fadl Maa Zzam’ – Story 15.]
Saheehus-Seerah 