The Well of Umm Salim
The year the rains failed, the wells of the village went dry one by one, until only one still gave sweet water: the old well in the courtyard of Umm Salim, a widow who owned little else in the world besides that courtyard, a date palm, and a heart her neighbours described simply as “wide.”
From before dawn until after dark, her gate stood open. Farmers came with carts, mothers with jars, travellers with dust on their lips. She drew water for the old who could not pull the rope, and carried it herself to the houses of the sick.
A wealthy man of the valley offered her gold — more gold than she had seen in her life — if she would close her gate to the village and reserve the well for his caravans. She answered: “The water fell from Allah’s sky into Allah’s earth. I only guard the gate. Shall I sell what was never mine?”
When the rains finally returned, the village built her a low stone wall and steps down to the well, and carved no name upon it at her request. But travellers for a hundred years after would stop in that village and ask, “Where is the well of the woman who would not sell water?” — and children would run to show them Umm Salim’s gate.
It is reported that the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said: “The best charity is giving water to drink.” (Reported by Abu Dawud)