The path of man's historical and spiritual journey is paved and ornamented with historical icons from altar to minaret - and from east to west. Human history is paradoxical: full of icons of the past that can never be surpassed. The Well of Zamzam and Maqam Ibrahim are among these icons, both reflecting the mingled history of humanity and divinity.
Literally 'maqam' means station as in high place and dignified rank. According to the Qur'an, Prophets Ibrahim and Ismail (peace be upon them) together built the Kaaba. To reach the top of the Kaaba, Prophet Ibrahim stood on a large rock and his feet left their prints, bearing witness of his great deed for all time. And it is there at Maqam Ibrahim that the father and son, Prophets Ibrahim and Ismail, are believed to have prayed after building the Kaaba.
The rock itself is on a base of stone built over 20cm of marble that stands in the ground. The actual footprints of Prophet Ibrahim's are of an oval rectangular shape and have been entirely plated in silver. Because of the passing of time, its colors vary between shades of white, black and yellow. A dome was first placed over Maqam Ibrahim in 810 H and it has been rebuilt at intervals.
Historically, Ibrahim - a prophet in Judaism, Christianity and Islam - has links to both places. Maqam Ibrahim, in fact, was named after him. Centuries ago, he was ordered to leave his wife Hagar and child, Ismail, in a dry valley without vegetation or water in the place where the Kaaba was later built. As the infant Ismail cried out in thirst, his mother ran repeatedly back and forth between two small hills called Al-Safa and Al-Marwa in the hope of finding water. As her baby cried, his feet rubbed the sand where miraculously, a spring bubbled out at his feet. Thus Zamzam water was found and the Well of Zamzam was created. The name 'Zamzam' comes from the Arabic verb 'zam' meaning 'gathering' or 'enclosing' - which is what Hagar did as the water bubbled up from the earth at her son's feet; she cupped and gathered the sand around the water to preserve it. Because of the story, the Well of Zamzam is also known as The Well of Ismail. The well is also known as 'Marwiah' meaning quenched or quenching; 'Shabaah' meaning fullness and 'Barakah' meaning blessing as well as other names mostly unfamiliar and no longer used. The well has existed for four thousand years with 26 centuries between Prophet Ismail's time and the time of Abdul Muttaleb, the grandfather of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Furthermore, the Well of Zamzam and its water have long been revered by the people of Makkah, specifically by the Quraish, one of Makkhah's noble and prominent clans. A later Islamic ruler, Abu Jaffar Al-Mansour, built a protective fence around the well and paved the area around it with white marble. The dome that sheltered the well was studded with rubies. During the reign of King Faisal ibn Abul Aziz, laboratory tests were conducted on Zamzam water samples. After analysis, it was found that the difference between Zamzam water and other water (city water) was in the quantity of calcium and magnesium salts. The content of the elements were slightly higher in Zamzam water. More significantly, the water contains fluorides that have an effective germicidal action. Zamzam water's appeal has always been universal. The water has never been chemically treated or chlorinated. In most wells, bacteria and fungi grow which makes the water unpalatable because of bad taste and bad odor. In Zamzam water, however, there was no sign of bacteria or fungi.
The well, which has never run dry has always maintained a very distinctive taste. Its uniqueness has been universally recognized as pilgrims from all over the world visit the Kaaba every year. In 1373 H a pump was installed in the Zamzam well and the surrounding pipes were extended as well. Zamzam was made available and accessible for all visitors with water cooled by Zamzam ice-cubes all over the Holy Mosque of Makkah as well as the Holy Mosque in Madinah. The well is 4 meters in width and 35 meters deep located under the eastern part of the Kaaba and south of Maqam Ibrahim.
To this day pilgrims and visitors return to their families and friends carrying this mysterious liquid which springs from the Well of Zamzam: the spring that continues to flow, revered and unique along with Maqam Ibrahim, engraved upon human history and memory.
