Sharjah bans Zamzam water sale ahead of Eid Al Adha 2025
Municipality urges public not to purchase unverified water from local markets
SHARJAH: In a decisive move ahead of Eid Al Adha 2025, Sharjah City Municipality has banned all commercial outlets in the emirate from selling or trading Zamzam water.
The directive applies to all businesses, regardless of their nature, and is aimed at preventing fraud, ensuring public safety, and maintaining high food hygiene standards.
The municipality has also urged residents to avoid buying Zamzam water from local markets or unofficial sources.
Raid on fake Zamzam factory
The ban follows a serious incident where a man was caught converting a residential property into an illegal water bottling facility.
According to officials, he filled plastic bottles with regular tank water, falsely labelled them as Zamzam water, and promoted the counterfeit products via social media. Authorities observed vehicles transporting water from the location, prompting a swift raid and seizure of bottles and cartons marked as Zamzam. These were reportedly stored and filled under unhygienic conditions and sold at premium prices.
Khalid Al Hammadi, Head of the Food Control Section at Sharjah Municipality, confirmed that immediate legal and administrative action was taken. “Our role is to protect consumers from deception and unsafe practices,” he stated, while noting that Zamzam water is often indistinguishable from regular bottled water, making it a frequent target for fraud.
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What is Zamzam water?
Zamzam water is drawn from a well located within the Masjid Al Haram in Makkah, Saudi Arabia, and holds deep religious significance for Muslims. Pilgrims often bring it back as a sacred gift after performing Hajj or Umrah. Renowned for its purity, it is not commercially available and should only be obtained through authorised channels.
Stricter oversight
To enforce the new directive, the municipality is intensifying inspection campaigns across the city. Both scheduled and surprise checks will be carried out to detect any violations of food safety protocols and to clamp down on unauthorised sales. Al Hammadi highlighted the municipality’s ongoing efforts to update regulatory requirements and licensing conditions for commercial and food businesses in line with health standards.
Circulars have already been distributed to shop owners across Sharjah, clearly stating the prohibition on selling, displaying, or promoting Zamzam water. The municipality warned that violations will be met with strict penalties.
Call for public vigilance
Sharjah Municipality is also counting on the public to play a vital role in enforcement. Residents are being urged to report any suspected violations by calling the municipality’s hotline at 993. The authority has also warned people against dealing with unlicensed food vendors or buying items through social media platforms without verifying their source and official licensing.