Muslim

Hadith Commentary:
Among the etiquettes of Zamzam is that it should be drunk while standing facing the Ka'bah, and the following supplication of Abdullah ibn Abbas (radi Allahu anhuma) should be recited:
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ عِلْمًا نَافِعًا وَرِزْقًا وَاسِعًا وَشِفَاءً مِنْ كُلِّ دَاءٍ
(O Allah, I ask You for beneficial knowledge, abundant provision, and healing from every disease.)
(Mustadrak Hakim)

Hadith Commentary:
(1)
According to the majority of scholars, there is no harm in drinking water while standing, just as there is no harm in urinating while standing, provided there is an excuse that prevents one from sitting.
(2)
In one hadith, it is mentioned that the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) reprimanded a person for drinking water while standing.
(Sahih Muslim, Al-Ashribah, Hadith: 5277 (2025))
According to the majority of scholars, this prohibition is not one of strict unlawfulness (tahrimi), but rather of dislike (tanzihi); nevertheless, drinking water while sitting is better.
(3)
Those scholars who consider drinking water while standing to be disliked (makruh) also hold that drinking leftover ablution (wudu) water and Zamzam water while standing is Sunnah. This is explicitly stated in the incident of Ali (radi Allahu anhu) and in the hadith narrated from Ibn Abbas (radi Allahu anhu).
And Allah knows best.

Hadith Commentary:
This is an excerpt from the hadith of the Mi'raj (Ascension).
Here, Imam Bukhari has brought it because the virtue of Zamzam water is derived from it.
This is because the Prophet’s chest was washed with this very water.
Apart from this, there are many other hadiths regarding the virtues of Zamzam water, but according to the condition of the Commander of the Faithful in Hadith (Amir al-Mu’minin fi al-Hadith), this was the only hadith.
In Sahih Muslim, Zamzam water has been described as both water and nourishment, and it has also been declared as a cure for the sick.
In the hadith of Ibn Abbas, it is narrated in marfu‘ form: Ma’u Zamzama lima shuriba lahu.
That is, Zamzam water is for whatever purpose it is drunk; Allah grants that.
Hafiz Ibn Hajar rahimahullah says:
And it was named Zamzam due to its abundance. It is said: “Maa’ Zamzam” meaning abundant water, and it is also said due to its gathering together.
That is, its name is Zamzam because it is plentiful, and this term is used in such a context.
“Maa’ Zamzam” means abundant water, and it is also called Zamzam due to its gathering together.
Mujahid said that this word is derived from “hazmah.”
The meaning of the word “hazmah” is to indicate towards the ground with the heels.
Since it is well-known that this spring gushed forth when Prophet Isma’il alayhis salam rubbed his heels on the ground, it was therefore called Zamzam.
And Allah knows best.

Hadith Commentary:
(1)
The virtue of Zamzam water is established from this hadith in that the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) drank it while standing, even though there are numerous hadiths prohibiting drinking water while standing. If any water other than Zamzam is drunk while standing, there is a risk of harm, but Zamzam water is pure healing; therefore, if it is drunk while standing, there is no harm in it.

(2)
Imam Bukhari (rahimahullah) has also established the permissibility of drinking water while standing from this hadith; thus, he will discuss this issue under a separate, dedicated chapter in the future. The statement of Ikrimah (rahimahullah) means that he did not drink water while standing, rather, on that day he was mounted on a camel. However, in the narration of Abu Dawud, it is mentioned that after completing the circumambulation (tawaf), the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) made his camel kneel, then he performed two units (rak‘ahs) of prayer for tawaf.
(Sunan Abi Dawud, Manasik, Hadith: 1881)
Perhaps he drank Zamzam water after that.
Since there are hadiths regarding the prohibition of drinking water while standing, he denied drinking water while standing, even though it is established from Ali (radi Allahu anhu) that the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) drank water while standing.
(Sahih al-Bukhari, Al-Ashriba, Hadith: 5616)
In any case, in general circumstances, one should drink water while sitting, but occasionally, to demonstrate permissibility, there is no harm in drinking water while standing.
(Fath al-Bari: 3/623)
And Allah knows best.

Explanation:
1:
It is possible that the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam did this to indicate permissibility.
It is also possible that, due to the crowd, there was no place available to sit,
or that there was no dry spot left there,
and for this reason he did not sit.
The common notion that drinking Zamzam water while standing is a Sunnah is completely incorrect.

(1) Zamzam is blessed water that is different from all other water in the world. It provides nourishment as well as healing, and in fact, whatever intention and purpose it is drunk for, it suffices for that. (Sunan Ibn Majah, Al-Manasik, Hadith: 3062, and Musnad Ahmad: 3/357, 372) Therefore, drinking it as a means of seeking blessing (tabarruk) is Sunnah, and even bringing it home upon returning is also Sunnah, as is transmitted in a marfu‘ narration from Aisha (radi Allahu anha). See: (Jami‘ at-Tirmidhi, Al-Hajj, Hadith: 963).

(2) Some say that the Prophet’s (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) drinking water while standing was out of necessity, as there was mud on the ground and it was not possible to sit, otherwise his clothes would have been soiled. Therefore, if there is such a situation where there is no suitable place to sit, one may eat or drink while standing. Some hold the view that drinking while standing is permissible, and the aforementioned action of the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) was to indicate permissibility. Besides this, in other ahadith, he strictly forbade drinking while standing. So, according to Hafiz Ibn Hajar and other imams, the prohibition mentioned in those ahadith is for the sake of desirability (tanzih), meaning it is better not to drink water while standing. And if one does drink while standing, then there is absolutely nothing blameworthy in it. This position appears to be the strongest in light of the evidences. And Allah knows best. See: (Fath al-Bari: 10/104, 105)

From the above hadith, it is established that drinking Zamzam water while standing is also permissible, as the narrations indicating permissibility point towards this. However, to declare it Sunnah in the sense that it is recommended (mustahabb), this is not established from it, as the details regarding this have already been mentioned in the preceding chapter.

Commentary:
Benefits and Issues:
Ikrimah, according to his knowledge, stated that in such matters, a report affirming something is given preference over a report negating it.

Benefit:
... Question: Regarding drinking Zamzam water while standing, the question is whether this is permissible?
Answer: ... Shaykh al-Albani rahimahullah, in response to this question, says: Look, regarding Zamzam water, it has been reported that the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam drank it while standing, even though he sallallahu alayhi wa sallam himself forbade drinking while standing, as you know and as we have just mentioned. So, it was made a necessary Sunnah that Zamzam water should be drunk while standing. However, the reason why the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam drank it standing was due to the crowd and congestion of people.

Whoever studies the general biography of the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, and especially when he sallallahu alayhi wa sallam would walk with his noble companions radi Allahu anhum, it will become completely clear and evident to him that the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam in no way distinguished himself from his companions. Thus, he was not like the leaders of the later times for whom the paths are cleared, and nowadays even the entire Masjid al-Haram is cleared for them. The Ka‘bah is a distant matter, and whatever happens until the end. Thus, this was not among the morals and characteristics of the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam. Rather, as one of his companions, Sayyiduna Abdullah ibn Qudamah al-‘Amiri radi Allahu anhu, described his attribute, that the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam was walking during the Farewell Pilgrimage and: «ولا طرد ولا إليك» (neither were people being pushed aside, nor were they being told to move out of the way). That is, he was walking along with all of them. No one would say, “Clear the way for the Prophet of Mercy sallallahu alayhi wa sallam,” absolutely not. So, when he sallallahu alayhi wa sallam entered and wanted to drink from Zamzam water, what did he request? If we compare ourselves, when we want to drink Zamzam water, we would request that a fresh bucket of water be drawn for us, but no, he sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said: “Give me from where the other Muslims are drinking,” meaning from that water-skin. Therefore, if the Noble Messenger sallallahu alayhi wa sallam had wanted to sit and drink at that time, due to the intensity of the crowd, there was a risk of being trampled underfoot. And it was not among his sallallahu alayhi wa sallam’s manners to appoint his companions to stick to his front, back, right, and left, telling people, “Make way, make way.” Absolutely not, and for this reason, he sallallahu alayhi wa sallam drank while standing.

Similarly, in some other hadiths found in Sunan al-Tirmidhi, it is mentioned that he sallallahu alayhi wa sallam came to a hanging water-skin. He opened its tie and drank from it while standing, because it was hanging above, and here standing and drinking was not the original intent, but rather he was compelled. Therefore, it is not permissible for us to let such particular incidents and occurrences clash with general principles. The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam forbade drinking while standing, in fact, he even rebuked (scolded) and ordered to vomit it out. Similarly, it should be for the one who is sent with the religion from the Lord of the worlds that he should have deep understanding (tafaqquh) in religion (i.e., he gathers the evidences and follows the principles).

① In Sahih al-Bukhari 1637, Sayyiduna Abdullah ibn Abbas radi Allahu anhuma says: «سـقيـتُ رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم من زمزم ، فشرب وهو قائم» (I gave the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam Zamzam water to drink, so he sallallahu alayhi wa sallam drank it while standing).
Imam Muslim rahimahullah, in Sahih Muslim, under «باب فى الشرب من زمزم قائما» (Chapter: Regarding drinking Zamzam water while standing), has brought four narrations.

② Imam al-Tirmidhi narrated it in 903, and Shaykh al-Albani declared it authentic in Sahih al-Tirmidhi.

③ See in Sahih Muslim «باب كراهية الشرب قائما» (Chapter: The dislike of drinking while standing), while those scholars who hold permissibility should read Sahih al-Bukhari [باب الشـرب قـائما] (Chapter regarding drinking while standing), in which there is also a narration from Sayyiduna Ali radi Allahu anhu that he drank while standing and said, “People consider it disliked and detestable, whereas I saw the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam drinking in this manner while standing.” And Allah knows best. (This fatwa was translated by Mawlana Tariq Brohi ﷾.)