The hajj season is here again and you are sure to have seen zamzam water ads sold on major social media platforms. But if you are tickled to buy, the Malaysian Ministry of Health (MOH) warns that zamzam water sold online may not be genuine.
Director-General of Health Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said zamzam water is categorized as natural mineral water and is enshrined under Regulation 360A, Food Regulations 1985. To import it into Malaysia, a license must be applied for through the MOH.
However, the Saudi Arabian government does not allow zamzam water to be exported or traded. Without a certificate from Saudi Arabia confirming the source of the water, the license cannot be issued by the MOH. Therefore, the authenticity of zamzam water sold online in Malaysia is questionable.
This is not a new issue and has actually arisen since 2014 when the Saudi government limited the quota of 5 liters of zamzam water only one person can bring back for pilgrims which is half of the previous quota.
For the 2022 Hajj season, zamzam water cannot be brought into the luggage compartment of the aircraft by the authorities to prevent it from being traded upon arrival in foreign countries. Meanwhile, the maximum volume of water that can be brought into the cabin is only 100 mL, thus preventing the congregation from bringing home zamzam water.