Assalaamu alaykum. I know that the hadith of the Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, says that Zamzam water is for the purpose that it is drunk for. So whatever supplication/intention I make before drinking Zamzam will be accepted. Suppose that I have a lot of supplications to make. Should I pronounce each and every supplication before drinking Zamzam, or can I write all the supplications in a list and say, “O Allaah, fullfill all of the supplications in the list,” before drinking?

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger. 

The Prophet said, “Zamzam water is for whatever it is drunk for." [Ahmad]

Its meaning is that if a person drinks it for a need, then it will be fulfilled – Allah willing. If someone drinks it with the intention to be cured, then he will be cured – Allah willing; if someone drinks it in order to be enabled to perform good deeds, then he will be enabled – Allah willing; and so forth.

As-Saawi said in his commentary, “The saying of the Prophet 'Zamzam water is for whatever it is drunk for,' means that a person will get whatever good intention he had intended for himself or for someone else.”

However, we are not aware of any hadeeth attributed to the Prophet that indicates that it is desirable to supplicate when drinking Zamzam water. Nonetheless, a group of scholars are of the view that it is desirable to supplicate when drinking it.

Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen said, “Supplicating when drinking Zamzam water is desirable according to the view of many scholars.”

Besides, Ad-Daaraqutni reported that Ibn ‘Abbaas, may Allah be pleased with him, used to supplicate, whenever he drank Zamzam water, “O Allah! Grant me beneficial knowledge, an abundant provision, and a healing from every disease.”

Some scholars are of the view that supplicating should be done before drinking Zamzam water, and some are of the view that supplicating should be done after drinking it.

Ibn Qudaamah said in Al-‘Umdah, “It is desirable for a person to drink Zamzam water for whatever desire he wishes and to drink his fill and then say, 'O Allah! Make it for us a beneficial knowledge, an abundant provision, a quench for our thirst, food to satiate us, a healing from every disease, and wash my heart with it, and fill it [my heart] with Your fear and wisdom.'” This supplication is said after drinking Zamzam water.

Some other scholars stated that one should supplicate before drinking.

Zakariyyah Al-Ansaari, said in Asna Al-Mataalib, “It is recommended for whoever drinks Zamzam water for any wish that he desires to face the Qiblah and mention Allah and say (before he drinks), 'O Allah, I learned that Your Messenger said, 'Zamzam water is for whatever it is drunk for.' O Allah, I am drinking it for such and such. O Allah, respond to my supplication.' Then he says Bismillah (In the Name of Allah) and drinks.”

As regards having many needs that you wish to supplicate for and writing a list of them, then we recommend that you supplicate with the comprehensive supplications for the good of this worldly life and Hereafter. ‘Aa’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, said, “The Prophet used to like supplicating with general and comprehensive supplications and leave other than that.” [Abu Daawood]

The author of ‘Awn Al-Ma’bood wrote, “The comprehensive supplications are the supplications that encompass the good of this worldly life and the Hereafter; those that are concise but great in meaning, much as the verse {Our Lord, give us in this world [that which is] good and in the Hereafter [that which is] good and protect us from the punishment of the Fire.}, and such as supplicating for well-being in this worldly life and the Hereafter.”

Al-Bukhari reported in Al-Adab Al-Mufrad from ‘Aa’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, that she said:

“The Prophet entered upon me while I was praying, and he needed me while I prolonged my prayer, and he said, 'O ‘Aa’ishah, stick to the general and comprehensive supplications.' When I finished praying, I said, 'What are they [these general and comprehensive supplications]?' He said, 'Say, 'O Allah! I ask You for all the good which is in the present or in the future, which I know and which I do not know; and I seek refuge in You from all the evil which is in the present or in the future, which I know and which I do not know; and I ask You for Paradise and what brings closer to it of word or deed; and I seek refuge in You from Hell and what brings closer to it of word or deed; and I ask of You all the good that Muhammad asked of you; and I seek refuge in You from all the evil that Muhammad sought refuge in You from; and I ask you for the good consequences of Your Decree.''” [Al-Bukhari]

So, dear brother, be keen on reciting such supplications, and discard the list that you intend to write.

Allah knows best.