The Well of Rumah and the Army of Hardship

In the early years in Madinah, fresh water was scarce, and a well called Rumah belonged to an owner who sold its water. The Prophet ﷺ promised Paradise to whoever would make it free for the Muslims. 'Uthman bought it and gave it to the people, so that his own bucket drew from it like everyone else's.

In 9 AH, the Prophet ﷺ called for an army to march to Tabuk in the burning heat, at a time of drought and hardship, and promised Paradise to whoever equipped it. 'Uthman gave on a scale no one else could: camels with their saddles and loads, and, in one report, a thousand gold dinars poured into the Prophet's lap ﷺ. Turning the coins over, the Prophet ﷺ said: "Nothing 'Uthman does after today can harm him."

Decades later, besieged in his own house, 'Uthman would remind the crowd outside of these two deeds, and Companions present bore witness that he spoke the truth (Sahih al-Bukhari 2778).