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Text by Mahmood Sanglay and Yaseen Bardien
Photos: Mohamed Jaffer/Onscreen Presentations
Zamzam water originates only from a well in Makkah. This blessed water is distributed to millions of pilgrims who come to the Holy Land for Hajj and Umrah. The Saudi Ministry of Media reports that the commercial export of Zamzam is prohibited.
Each visiting pilgrim to the kingdom is permitted a 5-litre bottle to take home at the port of exit. Despite Saudi law, Zamzam is sold worldwide, even in stores across South Africa. In June 2025 Muslim Views and GroundUp conducted a pioneering investigation involving exhaustive tests for authenticity at an accredited laboratory. The tests revealed that water sold as Zamzam in the Western Cape is not authentic. Following the publication of our findings we received numerous enquiries on how to verify Zamzam water.
The 5-litre bottle is the standard container for Zamzam water officially issued by the Saudi authorities. Below are reliable ways of authenticating your 5-litre Zamzam water. Although lab tests are not the most feasible option for the general public, they are the most foolproof method of authenticating your Zamzam water.
Download the printable PDF below.
1. On the blue cap, the word “Zamzam” is embossed, creating a grainy texture.
2. The word “Zamzam” on an authentic bottle appears in unique font. The font on fake bottles vary.
3. At the base of the bottle, there is also an embossed cavity number, ranging from 1-15.
4. A symbol resembling the letter “S” is embossed at the base of the bottle. Counterfeit bottles lack this critical detail.
5. A production date is engraved on the authentic Zamzam bottle. On counterfeit bottles this information appears as inkjet print. Some counterfeit bottles reflect no date.
6. On the side of the bottle, “Zamzam” in Arabic is also embossed with a unique type and is easily legible. The type sizes on counterfeit bottles vary and are inconsistent.
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This investigation was produced by the Southern Africa Accountability Journalism Project, a project of the Henry Nxumalo Foundation funded by the European Union. This feature does not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union.
