The Re-digging of Zamzam

Abd al-Muttalib dug the well of Zamzam, guided by a dream. According to al-Rahiq al-Makhtum, this was the first of two important matters concerning the House that befell him, the other being the Battle of the Elephant. In the well he found what the Jurhum had buried. Quraysh disputed the well with him, and at that point he made his well-known vow. ^{1 2 3}

He was commanded in a dream to dig Zamzam, and its place was described to him. He began to dig and found in it the things the Jurhum had buried when they were driven into exile: swords, coats of mail and two golden gazelles. He beat the swords into a door for the Ka'ba, fixed the two gazelles to the door, and set up the Zamzam water supply for the pilgrims. ^{2 3} Those things had been buried at the expulsion of Jurhum.

When the well of Zamzam appeared, Quraysh disputed with Abd al-Muttalib and said: "Share it with us." He said: "I will not do that; this is a matter I was singled out for." They did not leave him until they took him to judgement before a soothsayer (kahina) of Banu Sa'd. They did not return until God showed them, on the road, what showed that Zamzam was assigned to Abd al-Muttalib alone. ²

At that point Abd al-Muttalib vowed that if God gave him ten sons who reached manhood and protected him, he would sacrifice one of them at the Ka'ba. ² See the vow of Abd al-Muttalib and the lot.

The book gives no date for the event. The author summarises Ibn Hisham 1/142-147 and does not describe in detail what God showed them on the road.