The Saudi government has barred passengers from carrying Zamzam water in their luggage ahead of Zil Hajj, the holy month for the Islamic pilgrimage of Hajj.
The Saudi General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) issued a notification in this regard on Tuesday, restricting pilgrims from carrying Zamzam with them on flights.
Under the new policy, all airlines have been directed to ensure that none of the passengers traveling through Jeddah or any other airport have bottles filled with Zamzam water.
“Failure to comply with notifications issued by GACA is an explicit violation of government’s orders. Legal action will be initiated against violators who will be held responsible,” it added.
The water comes from the well of Zamzam, located in Masjid al-Haram, Makkah, which is a miraculously generated source of water as per Islamic history. The well of blessed water is approximately 4000 years old as per the Hijri calendar.
Zamzam water has great religious significance and pilgrims coming to perform Hajj and Umrah from all over the world take it back to their countries in great amounts.
