This well is known by two names: Bi’r Rūmah (with a ḍamma on the letter rā’), said to be named after its owner Rūmah al-Ghifārī, and Bi’r ʿUthmān, named after the Companion ʿUthmān ibn ʿAffān (may Allah be pleased with him), because he purchased it from its owner and endowed it as a waqf for Muslims.
This historic well dates back to the pre-Islamic era and was among the sweetest (freshest) wells in Madinah. Its owner used to sell its water to Muslims, so the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“Who will buy the Well of Rūmah and let his bucket be with the buckets of the Muslims, and it will be better for him than it in Paradise?”
When ʿUthmān heard this, he bought the well and made it a charitable endowment (waqf) for Muslims to drink from free of charge.
The well continued to provide water for many centuries, then fell into disrepair, leaving only traces of it until the 8th century AH, when Shihāb al-Dīn Aḥmad ibn Muḥammad ibn al-Muḥibb al-Ṭabarī renovated it and raised its structure above the ground by about half a person’s height, which increased its water.
In the Saudi era, it received care and attention: the well was restored and the surrounding area developed, so it remains a living witness to history, telling future generations about many of the events that Madinah has seen.