Why Savouries???

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A good facebook friend has left me in stitches of laughter after reading his inbox messages. He asked me when am I writing an article titled "From laban and khubz to samoosas and death bringing savories....the transition of fasting from makkah to Jozi" lol....He goes on to say," I miss laban and dates....the steamy combo yields such interesting effects.....have u ever wondered why many Arab women fill the Gynae clinic 9 months post Ramadaan?? Well its all thanks to the Badam (almonds) and dates acting up on Saudi men like a clinical trial of some sort lol".....Whilst chatting to my brother Aadil yesterday, both of us couldn't comprehend the big hype and fuss about savouries that most of the South African Indian women panic to prepare from months ahead. In our house mom makes savouries throughout the year so by the time Ramadhaan approaches the novelty and hype has actually worn out. Savouries in Ramadhaan is actually very unhealthy and fattening. In our house we generally prefer a normal cooked meal. Either a rice dish or a meal that will be accompanied with roti. Shourba addas (Lentil soup) and Tamar Hindi (Tamarind drink) are specially prepared during the month of Ramadhaan in the Middle East. Tamarind acts as a mild laxative and is also used to treat bile disorders in addition to promoting a healthy heart and lowering cholesterol levels. The Arabs in general eat all the right foods that assist their bodies with the detoxification process during the month of Ramadhaan. Laban cools the stomach down and of course dates and zamzam water replenishes the body with all the vital vitamins and minerals that the body requires.It is strange that when you in Makkah and Medina, there is so much of barkat in the food that a little bit of food goes such a long way. Remember that the fasting month is a month where we should be empathizing with those who are less fortunate than we are. Having lavish parties and do's along with fancy foods defeats the purpose and objective of the month. Rather stick to the basic simple foods and eat less. Whilst visiting a Saudi family in Medina last year, I loved the fact that their entire family ate together for the whole month of Ramadhaan and at every fatoor they would prepare one dish that the Prophet Muhammed (saw) loved eating.I wonder who came up with this silly concept that we need to eat savouries during the month of Ramadhaan.....If you do know, please let me know...:))))))...This person needs to be clobbered lololol....

ZAM ZAM WATER--IS IT UNFIT FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION? by Tariq Hussein

We came here again to perform the Umrah, and I am reminded of the wonders of Zam-zam. Let me go back to how it all started. In 1971, an Egyptian doctor wrote to the European Press, a letter saying that Zam-zam water was not fit for drinking purposes. I immediately thought that this was just a form of prejudice against the Muslims and that since his statement was based on the assumption that since the Ka'aba was a shallow place (below sea level) and located in the center of the city of Makkah, the waste water of the city collecting through the drains fell into well holding the water.

Fortunately, the news came to King Faisal's ears who got extremely angry and decided to disprove the Egyptian doctor's provocative statement. He immediately ordered the Ministry of Agriculture and Water Resources to investigate and send samples of Zam-zam water to European laboratories for testing the potability of the water. The ministry then instructed the Jeddah Power and Desalination Plant to carry out this task.

It was here that I was employed as a desalting engineer (chemical engineer) to produce drinking water from sea water). I was chosen to carry out this assignment. At this stage, I remember that I had no idea what the well holding the water looked like. I went to Makkah and reported to the authorities at the Ka'aba explaining my purpose of visit.

They deputed a man to give me whatever help was required. When we reached the well, it was hard for me to believe that a pool of water, more like a small pond, about 18 by 14 feet, was the well that supplied millions of gallons of water every year to hajis ever since it came into existence at the time of Hazrat Ibrahim AS., many, many centuries ago.

I started my investigations and took the dimensions of the well. I asked the man to show me the depth of the well. First he took a shower and descended into the water. Then he straightened his body. I saw that the water level came up to just above his shoulders. His height was around five feet, eight inches. He then started moving from one corner to the other in the well (standing all the while since he was not allowed to dip his head into the water) in search of any inlet or pipeline inside the well to see from where the water came in. However, the man reported that he could not find any inlet or pipeline inside the well.

I thought of another idea. The water could be withdrawn rapidly with the help of a big transfer pump which was installed at the well for the Zam-zam water storage tanks. In this way, the water level would drop enabling us to locate the point of entry of the water.

Surprisingly, nothing was observed during the pumping period, but I knew that this was the only method by which you could find the entrance of the water to the well. So I decided to repeat the process. But this time, I instructed the man to stand still at one place and carefully observe any unusual thing happening inside the well. After a while, he suddenly raised his hands and shouted, "Alhamdollillah! I have found it. The sand is dancing beneath my feet as the water oozes out of the bed of the well."

Then he moved around the well during the pumping period and noticed the same phenomenon everywhere in the well. Actually the flow of water into the well through the bed was equal at every point, thus keeping the level of the water steady. After I finished my observations I took the samples of the water for European laboratories to test. Before I left the Ka'aba, I asked the authorities about the other wells around Makkah.

I was told that these wells were mostly dry. When I reached my office in Jeddah I reported my findings to my boss who listened with great interest but made a very irrational comment that the Zam-zam well could be internally connected to the Red Sea . How was it possible when Makkah is about 75 kilometres away from the sea and the wells located before the city usually remains dry?

The results of the water samples tested by the European laboratories and the one We analyzed in our own laboratory were found to be almost identical.

The difference between Zam-zam water and other water (city water) was in the quantity of calcium and magnesium salts. The content of these was slightly higher in zam-zam water. This may be why this water refreshes tired hajis, but more significantly, the water contains fluorides that have an effective germicidal action. Moreover, the remarks of the European laboratories showed that the water was fit for drinking. Hence the statement made by the Egyptian doctor was proved false.

When this was reported to King Faisal he was extremely pleased and
ordered the contradiction of the report in the European Press. In a way, it was a blessing that this study was undertaken to show the chemical composition of the water. In fact, the more you explore, the more wonders surface and you find yourself believing implicitly in the miracles of this water that Allah bestowed as a gift on the faithful coming from far and wide to the desert land for pilgrimage.

Let me sum up some of the features of Zam-Zam water.

This well has never dried up. On the contrary it has always fulfilled the demand for water. It has always maintained the same salt composition and taste ever since it came into existence. Its potability has always been universally recognised as pilgrims from all over the world visit Ka'aba every year for Hajj and umrah, but have never complained about it. Instead, they have always enjoyed the water that refreshes them. Water tastes different at different places.

Zam-zam water's appeal has always been universal. This water has never been chemically treated or chlorinated as is the case with water pumped into the cities. Biological growth and vegetation usually takes place in most wells.This makes the water unpalatable owing to the growth of algae causing taste and odour problems.But in the case of the Zam-zam water well, there wasn't any sign of biological growth. Centuries ago, Bibi Hajra A.S. searched desperately for water in the hills of Sufwa and Murwa to give to her newly born son Hazrat Ismail A.S. As she ran from one place to another in search of water, her child rubbed his feet against the sand. A pool of water surfaced, and by the grace of Allah, shaped itself into a well which came to be called Zam-zam water.