—Allah forbid—how could she bear a child without a husband? They said, “Sister of Aaron! Your father was never a wicked man, nor was your mother an unchaste woman” (Mary 19:28). In other words: your father was no evildoer, and your mother was no adulteress—so from which of your parents did this child come? Their words were an implicit accusation of fornication.

Mary then pointed to the infant, meaning: “Ask him.” They retorted, “How can we speak to one who is an infant in the cradle?” (Mary 19:29). They assumed she was mocking them, but Allah caused the child to speak:

“He said, ‘Indeed, I am the servant of Allah. He has given me the Book and made me a prophet. He has made me blessed wherever I may be and has enjoined upon me prayer and almsgiving so long as I live. And He has made me dutiful toward my mother and has not made me arrogant or wretched. Peace be upon me the day I was born, the day I die, and the day I shall be raised alive.’” (Mary 19:30–33)

The child in the cradle uttered ten complete statements, each in language of the highest eloquence. Reflect on Allah’s power: little children speak words more articulate than the speech of seasoned minds—all of it a sign of divine omnipotence. By this miracle Mary, peace be upon her, was rescued from the slander that could have attached to her for bearing a child without a husband.

The same divine kindness is seen in the story of the woman who hesitated to throw herself into the fire: Allah honored her by causing her baby to speak, emboldening her to leap into the flames and preserve her faith.

Such narratives demonstrate that, by His mercy, Allah saves every believer in his place of peril, every God-fearing person in the moment when destruction seems certain—He delivers them because of the piety He already knew from them. The proof is found in the Prophet’s ﷺ saying: “Get to know Allah in times of ease, and He will know you in times of hardship.” Allah alone grants success.