Discover the meaning of the word Biʾr (بئر) in the Quran, with 1 verse in which it appears, and a detailed explanation from Al-Raghib al-Asfahani's Mufradat fi gharib al-Qur'an.
بئر
Biʾr
Root: ب - ئ - ر
Jurisprudence (fiqh) 1 verse
Updated on 29 May 2026 at 7:00 AM
📖 1 min read
Definition of Biʾr
Al-bi'r (the well): Allah says: 'And an abandoned well and a lofty palace' (Al-Hajj: 45).
Its origin is the hamza.
One says 'ba'artu bi'ran' (I dug a well) and 'ibtartu' (I dug).
The well is the place from which underground water is extracted.
In the Quran, the abandoned well symbolizes destroyed civilizations whose inhabitants perished.
And how many a city did We destroy while it was committing wrong - so it is [now] fallen into ruin - and [how many] an abandoned well and [how many] a lofty palace.
God and His angels shower their blessings on the Prophet. O believers, you should also send your blessings on him, and salute him with a worthy greeting.