‘Zamzam water’ sold locally may be fake, says ministry

Zamzam water from the well in Mecca is given free to pilgrims and cannot be traded. (Facebook pic)

KUALA LUMPUR: The Health Ministry has advised the public not to buy water labelled as “zamzam water” locally as it could be fake.

The director-general of health, Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah, said zamzam water from Saudi Arabia cannot be traded, and the Saudi government had never issued any validation of the mineral water. “Therefore, no distributor or company has obtained a license for the import and sale of zamzam water,” he said in a statement.

Zamzam water is water from the well of Zamzam, near the Kaaba in Mecca, the holiest place in Islam. Muslims believe the water is generated as a result of a miracle and millions of pilgrims visit the well each year to drink its water.

Noor Hisham said zamzam water is categorised in Malaysia as a natural mineral water and subjected to the Food Regulations Act 1985. A licence is required for import of water that has been validated by the exporting country.

He said the ministry had confiscated RM77,358.30 worth of zamzam water since 2012.

The mufti of Perlis, Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin, said in Kangar that Muslim entrepreneurs should not exploit religion in order to make easy money.

He said the government could take action against those who use religion to boost the sale of their products.

“Do not capitalise on religion by saying that products such as drinks contain zamzam water when it is plain or chanted water as this would be cheating consumers,” he told reporters here today.

He said the Islamic Development Department (Jakim) and the Perlis Islamic religious council had previously issued a ruling prohibiting the use of the name ‘Islam’ to promote products like zamzam water.

“Zamzam water cannot be sold as it is given free by the Saudi Government but there are traders who impose fees for delivery costs, while some reap huge profits and do not provide the real zamzam water to consumers,” he said. - FMT