Drinking Zamzam Water To Make Your Hifz Stronger & Faster

How can you memorise Qur'ān like Imam Shāfi'ī? Can Zamzam water help you memorise the Qur'ān faster? Scientists and those who like evidence won't like this article.

Zamzam water has been a subject of debate for them for the years. However, we have a standard. That standard is the Qur'ān and Sunnah.

The impact and blessings of Zamzam water has been well-documented through the experiences of the pious and countless Muslim brothers and sisters throughout time. Today, I'd like to share them with you.

There are several stories of scholars and students who have had Zamzam water with the intention of improving their memorisation of the Qur'ān or Hadīth. The basis of this is the following hadīth:

It was narrated that Jābir bin ‘Abdullāh said: “I heard the Messenger of Allāh (ﷺ) say: ‘The water of Zamzam is for whatever it is drunk for.’”

Ibn Mājah | an-Nisā'ī

That when you are drinking Zamzam water, the sincere intentions and prayers that you make can be granted by Allāh.

According to the hadīth of Abu Dharr (may Allāh be pleased with him), the Prophet (ﷺ) said, “It is a blessing, and it is food that satisfies.” (Muslim, 4/1922). Al-Tayaalisi (61) added, in a version that he narrated: “and a cure for the sick.” I.e., drinking the water of Zamzam means that a person does not need to eat, and it will cure his sickness – but this is when he drinks it with faith and sincerity, as proven in the hadith of Abu Dharr al-Ghifārī who stayed in Makkah for a month without any nourishment except Zamzam water.

Al-Ḥakīm at-Tirmidhī (Allāh be pleased with him) said: "The drinker of Zamzam water, if he drinks to satisfy his hunger, Allāh makes him full up, if he drinks to quench, Allāh quenches his thirst, if he drinks for healing, Allāh heals him, if he drinks to rid himself of bad behaviour, Allāh improves his behaviour, if he drinks because he feels anxiety, Allāh calms him down and gives him relief, if he drinks to enrich his mind, Allāh makes him rich, if he drinks for a need, Allāh provides it to him, if he is smitten with fear, Allāh gives him serenity, if he drinks because of a plight, Allāh makes it disappear, if he drinks for a victory, Allāh will grant it to him, and whenever he drinks it with a good intention and goodness, Allāh will guarantee it to him, as he asked by means of a gift from Heaven descended by Allāh Most High for help." (Nawādir al-uşūl fī aḥādīth ar-rasūl (274/3).

Examples of those that drank Zamzam water for increase in memorisation and knowledge

Here are examples of recorded statements from various scholars, may Allāh have mercy upon them all.

Ibn Khuzayma

Abū Bakr Muḥammad Ibn Jaʿfar said: I heard Ibn Khuzayma was asked: From where did you gain knowledge? He said: Allah’s Messenger (s) said: Zamzam water is for whatever it is drunk for and when I drank it I asked Allah for beneficial knowledge.

Syiar Aʿlām an-nubalā’ (370/14), Tārīkh al-Islām (423/23), Tadhkiratul Huffādh’ 2/721

al-Ḥākim

Al-Ḥākim Abū ʿAbd Allah drank water from Zamzam and asked Allāh for excellence in writing books and he became the best author of his time. He said: ‘I drank Zamzam water and I asked Allāh that he grant me the ability to compile works of books in a good way.’ (‘Tadhkiratul Huffādh’ 3/1044).

al-Hāfiz Ibn Ḥajar

He said:

'Once I drank Zamzam, and I supplicated to Allāh, at that time I was at the beginning of studying Hadīth, I asked Allāh to grant me the status of adh-Dhahabi in memorising Hadīth. Twenty years later I went to perform Hajj, and I found in myself the ability to surpass that rank, so I asked Allāh for a higher rank than before, and I hope that Allāh grants me that rank.'

Mawāhib Al-Jalil (3/116)

Imām ibn al-'Arabi al-Māliki

Ibn al-ʿArabī said:

'I was staying in Mecca in Dhul Ḥijja in the year 489. I drank a lot of Zamzam water and every time I drank it it was with the intention of increasing my knowledge and faith, until Allāh opened for me knowledge from its blessing in a period that He made easy for me. However I forgot to drink it for action, if only I had drunk it for them both! So that Allah gave me an opening in them both, but He did not decree this, and my desire towards knowledge is more than that of action. We ask Allāh for protection and success through his mercy.'

Aḥkām al-Qur’ān by Ibn al-Arabi (98/3)

Al-Khatīb al-Baghdādī

It is reported from al-Khatīb al-Baghdādī that when he performed Ḥajj he drank Zamzam three times and asked Allāh the Exalted for three things, taking into account the ḥadīth: Zamzam water is for whatever it is drunk for.

The first thing: To narrate the history of Baghdad.
The second one: To dictate ḥadīths in the Jāmiʿ al-Manşūr.
The third one: To be buried next to the grave of Bishr al-Ḥāfī.

Allāh decreed all of the above to take place.

Tārīkh madīna Dimashq (34/5), Muʿjam al-‘udabā’ (498/1), Syiar aʿlām an-nubalā’ (279/18)

al-Qurtubī

In the biography of Shaykh Yahyā Ibn Ahmad al-Ansārī Al-Qurtubī, it is mentioned that he drank Zamzam water to memorise the Qur'ān, and he was able to memorise it in a short time.

Ibn al-Jazarī

al-Hāfiz as-Sakhāwī said in the biography of Ibn al-Jazarī:

His father was a merchant, and he remained childless for forty years. He then performed Hajj and drank Zamzam water with the intention that Allāh would bless him with a knowledgeable child. Muhammad al-Jazari was born to him after Taraweeh prayer. He excelled in the preservation and knowledge of Quranic recitation (Qira'āt)."

Al-Ghayah Fi Sharh Al-Hidaya Fi Ilm Al-Riwaya, 1/58

Sufyān ibn 'Uyaynah

al-Daynoorī reported that al-Humaydī said: “We were with Sufyān ibn ‘Uyaynah, and he told us the hadīth about the water of Zamzam being drunk for whatever purpose it is drunk for. A man got up and left the gathering, then he came back and said, ‘O Abū Muhammad, is the hadīth which you told us about the water of Zamzam sahīh (authentic)?’ He said, ‘Yes.’ The man said, ‘Just now I drank a bucket of Zamzam so that you would tell me one hundred hadīth.’ Sufyān said, ‘Sit down,’ so he sat down and he told him one hundred hadeeths.”

(Mawsū’ah al-Hāfidh al-Hadīthīyyah 2/315).

Ibn Qayyim

He said: 'I used to take a glass of Zamzam and recite Surah al-Fatihah on it, then drink it. I found benefit and strength, something that I couldn't find in medicine.'

There are many examples and reported sayings from many scholars. From the selection you've just read, you can see how much of impact Zamzam had on such great Imāms. How about you and I?

Lessons to take from Zamzam and its connection to Hifdh

It is important to remember that there are many foods and means to improve your memory. Nothing beats being consistent and having a sincere effort.

These scholars did not content themselves with drinking Zamzam water; staying home and just relying on a drink. They didn't give up their studies and research work. They were advancing in ḥadīth by working days and nights seeking knowledge.

These stories serve as inspiration and motivation for others who are also striving to memorise the Qur'ān or increase their knowledge.

You should try and drink Zamzam whenever you can and seek blessing from Allāh for your Qur'ān. But as individuals who are striving to memorise the Qur'ān you should always focus on proven methods of memorisation, such as regular practice, revision, and seeking guidance from qualified teachers.

Keep your efforts going and may Allāh grant you what you seek.