How Abdul Muttalib became sole custodian of Zamzam

The Miraculous well of Zamzam was totally buried and hidden for several centuries before the birth of our beloved Prophet (PBUH). The people of Makkah did not know where the well was. Abdul Muttalib, the grandfather of the Prophet (PBUH), was instructed to uncover it by a series of consecutive divine dreams during his sleep. To find the exact location of the well, Abdul Muttalib began searching for it near the Ka’ba.

As Abdul Muttalib was informed of the exact landmark of the well on the fourth night of his consecutive divine dreams, he started looking for the well following the instructions received in his sleep. Abdul Muttalib’s firstborn son Harith was helping his father. Both began digging around the spot. After digging for some time, suddenly he heard a distinct thud because his spade struck something as hard as stone, and he realised that something deeply hidden lay beneath the soil. Upon recognising this sound and striking the fresh water, he immediately cried out, saying ‘Allahu Akbar’ in joy. The fact is, his spade hit the ancient stone casing that covered the mouth of the well. Abdul Muttalib finally discovered the Zamzam. At one point, deep within the earth, he found buried treasures such as several swords, suits of armour, and two golden deer, that had been hidden there during the construction of the Ka’ba. 

Hearing the triumphant shout of Abdul Muttalib, the surrounding people of Quraysh realised that he discovered something highly significant. They rushed to the spot and knew that Abdul Muttalib successfully found the long-lost Well of Zamzam. When Abdul Muttalib uncovered the well, the leaders of Quraysh demanded a partnership in its ownership, control and maintenance. But Abdul Muttalib firmly declined them, because he alone was instructed to redig it in divine dreams. He said to the people, “I can never do that. I, alone, have been chosen for this task.” But the people of Makkah did not drop the matter easily.

A heavy dispute broke out throughout Makkah. When the pressure from the people of Makkah intensified, Abdul Muttalib proposed them to choose anyone they trust as an arbitrator to resolve the problem. The Quraysh selected Huzaym, the famous fortune-teller from the Banu Sa’d tribe. Because Huzaym lived far away, they set off on a long journey to meet her. While they were crossing a vast, scorching desert between the Hijaz and Syria, Abdul Muttalib and his companions completely ran out of water. Finding water in the middle of a barren desert was totally impossible. Abdul Muttalib had no alternative but to beg the Quraysh caravan for some water. Shockingly, they refused to give Abdul Muttalib. Abdul Muttalib realised that they had no way out of this deadly crisis. So, they decided to halt.

Everyone from the group of Abdul Muttalib dug their own grave in the sand, thinking that they would die there from thirst. However, after waiting some time, Abdul Muttalib turned to his companions and suggested that they move forward. He said, “Waiting here helplessly for death is a sign of cowardice! We may move forward and find water further along the trail.”

When they decided to push forward and mounted their camels, a fresh, crystal-clear spring suddenly gushed out right from beneath the camel’s feet of Abdul Muttalib. Their thirst was totally quenched. Abdul Muttalib also invited the Quraysh to take water if they needed. Witnessing this clear miracle, Quraysh leaders became deeply humbled. They realised that Allah (SWT) had chosen Abdul Muttalib as the custodian of Zamzam and accepted the undisputed leadership. The conflict was permanently solved without even going to the fortune-teller.

Abdul Muttalib faced such hardship that he made a solemn vow to Allah that if Allah blessed him with ten sons and they grew up strong enough to protect him, he would sacrifice one of them near the Ka’ba for the sake of Allah. When Allah fulfilled the desire of Abdull Muttalib, he went to the Ka’ba along with his sons intending to fulfil the vow. He conducted a lottery to choose a son among his 10 sons to sacrifice for the sake of Allah. When he picked up a piece of paper, he saw that the name of his dearest son Abdullah. Abdul Muttalib took the boy to the slaughtering place in Ka’ba. His daughters were all in tears and asked their father to sacrifice ten camels instead of Abdullah. Abdul Muttalib asked a lottery between ten camels and Abdullah again, but it produced the same result. Abdul Muttalib added ten more camels and drew the lottery again between Abdullah and twenty camels. Yet again, Abdullah’s name came up. In this way, by increasing the count by ten camels each time, when the number of camels reached one hundred, Abdullah’s name did not appear; instead, the camels’ names came up. Everyone who was watching the lottery exclaimed, “O Abdul Muttalib, your lord is now completely pleased.”

Thereafter, 100 camels were slaughtered in the name of Allah instead of Abdullah. As Abdullah’s name was picked up in the lottery for sacrifice, he became famous as Zabihullah (the sacrificed of Allah). Therefore, the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) often said, “I am the offspring of the two (Ismayeel and Abdullah).” (Mustadrak Hakim: 3978)

The writer is Khatib of Baitush Shafiq Mosque and principal of Baitul Hikmah Academy, Gazipur