Bir Arees (The Well of Arees), also known as Bir al-Khatam (Well of the Ring), is famous for a tragic loss.
The Story
The Prophet (PBUH) had a silver ring with the inscription "Muhammad Rasul Allah". After his passing, it was worn by Abu Bakr (RA), then Umar (RA), then Uthman (RA).
- The Incident: In the 6th year of Uthman's caliphate, he was sitting on the edge of this well. He was twisting the ring on his finger when it slipped and fell into the deep water.
- The Search: They drained the well and searched for 3 days, but the ring was never found.
- Symbolism: Historians note that the chaos (Fitna) in the Ummah began shortly after the loss of this ring.
Location
It is located near Masjid Quba. However, distinct traces of the well were largely covered during modern expansions of the Quba plaza.
