How Did Mary Defend Her Chastity to Her People?
كيف دافعت مريم العذراء عن نفسها؟
She pointed to the child in her arms. People were skeptical. How can a child in the cradle talk to them? But Jesus Pbuh did speak and he defended his mother saying:
I am truly a servant of Allah - so he is not the son of Allah.
(He has destined me to be given the Scripture and to be a prophet) - So he is a prophet and not God.
He has made me a blessing wherever I go: so wherever I am, I am blessed.
(and bid me to establish prayer and give alms-tax as long as I live, ) : so he submits to Allah as His servant in word and deed: he establishes prayer, and he declares his servanthood.
(So she pointed to the baby. They exclaimed, “How can we talk to someone who is an infant in the cradle?” Jesus declared, “I am truly a servant of Allah. He has destined me to be given the Scripture and to be a prophet. He has made me a blessing wherever I go, and bid me to establish prayer and give alms-tax as long as I live, and to be kind to my mother. He has not made me arrogant or defiant. Peace be upon me the day I was born, the day I die, and the day I will be raised back to life!”) Maryam 19: 29-33 (Note: the original answer cited 19:29-32; the quotation ends with verse 33, so the reference was corrected.)
أشارت إلى الغلام الذي في يدها، فقالوا لها: إنه طفل رضيع، كيف نكلمه؟ وتكلم عيسى عليه السلام، فجعل يدافع عن أمه ويقول أول ما يقول:
إني عبد الله - أي ليس هو ابن الله
آتاني الكتاب وجعلني نبيا: أي هو نبي وليس هو الله
وجعلني مباركا أينما كنت: حيث ما كنت فالبركة معي
وأوصاني بالصلاة والزكاة ما دمت حيا: هو خاضع للعبودية لله بالقول والفعل فهو يقيم الصلاة كما أنه ينطق بالعبودية
فَأَشَارَتْ إِلَيْهِ ۖ قَالُوا كَيْفَ نُكَلِّمُ مَن كَانَ فِي الْمَهْدِ صَبِيًّا ﴿٢٩﴾ قَالَ إِنِّي عَبْدُ اللَّـهِ آتَانِيَ الْكِتَابَ وَجَعَلَنِي نَبِيًّا ﴿٣٠﴾ وَجَعَلَنِي مُبَارَكًا أَيْنَ مَا كُنتُ وَأَوْصَانِي بِالصَّلَاةِ وَالزَّكَاةِ مَا دُمْتُ حَيًّا ﴿٣١﴾ وَبَرًّا بِوَالِدَتِي وَلَمْ يَجْعَلْنِي جَبَّارًا شَقِيًّا ﴿٣٢﴾ مريم 19: 29-32
1. The Silent Gesture of Absolute Reliance | الإشارة الصامتة وتفويض الأمر لرب العالمين
Honoring her vow of silence, Maryam responded to the crowd's accusations by pointing toward the baby in her arms. She redirected their confrontation away from herself and toward the infant, inviting them to question the child directly.
فَأَشَارَتْ إِلَيْهِ قَالُوا كَيْفَ نُكَلِّمُ مَن كَانَ فِي الْمَهْدِ صَبِيًّا (سورة مريم: 29)
امتثالاً لأمر الله بصيام الصمت، لم تنطق مريم بكلمة، بل أشارت إلى رضيعها في حضنها لترد عن نفسها كيد المعتدين، محيلة سؤالهم واستنكارهم إلى الطفل المعجز.
2. The Townspeople's Disbelief at Her Gesture | سخرية القوم واستنكارهم لمخاطبة رضيع
As Ibn Kathir explains, the townspeople took her gesture as mockery, asking indignantly how they could possibly converse with a newborn infant who had not yet reached the age of speech.
كَيْفَ نُكَلِّمُ مَن كَانَ فِي الْمَهْدِ صَبِيًّا (سورة مريم: 29)
ظن القوم، كما ذكر ابن كثير، أن إشارتها نوع من الاستخفاف بعقولهم، فقالوا مندهشين ومستنكرين: كيف نكلم طفلاً وليداً في مهده لا يفقه الكلام ولا يحسن النطق؟
3. The First Miraculous Declaration: Servant of Allah | أول كلامه: إعلان العبودية الخالصة لله
To the astonishment of the gathering, the newborn child spoke with flawless eloquence. His opening declaration shattered any claim of divinity: "I am truly a servant of Allah," refuting both the slanders of his enemies and the later excessive exaggerations of deification.
قَالَ إِنِّي عَبْدُ اللَّـهِ آتَانِيَ الْكِتَابَ وَجَعَلَنِي نَبِيًّا (سورة مريم: 30)
أنطق الله الرضيع بكلام فصيح، فكانت أول كلمة قالها لقومها إعلاناً قاطعاً للتوحيد: "إني عبد الله"، فأسقط دعاوى المتهمين لأمه بالخطيئة، وأبطل مسبقاً غلو المغالين الذين ادعوا له الألوهية.
4. Proclamation of Prophethood and Moral Duty | البشارة بالكتاب والبر بالوالدة الطاهرة
Isa continued by announcing that Allah had decreed him a prophet, endowed him with scripture, commanded him with prayer and zakah, and made him exceptionally dutiful to his mother, devoid of cruelty or tyranny.
وَبَرًّا بِوَالِدَتِي وَلَمْ يَجْعَلْنِي جَبَّارًا شَقِيًّا (سورة مريم: 32)
تابع المسيح كلماته المباركة بإعلان أن الله آتاه الكتاب وجعله نبيًا، وما كلفه الله به من الصلاة والزكاة والبر الكامل بأمه، مؤكداً أنه عبد صالح مجرد من الجبروت والشقاء.
5. Peace on the Three Critical Moments of Existence | السلام الإلهي في محطات الوجود الكبرى
The speech concluded with a profound invocation of divine peace covering the three most vulnerable transitions of human existence: the day of birth, the day of earthly passing, and the Day of Resurrection, affirming his complete submission as a noble messenger.
وَالسَّلَامُ عَلَيَّ يَوْمَ وُلِدتُّ وَيَوْمَ أَمُوتُ وَيَوْمَ أُبْعَثُ حَيًّا (سورة مريم: 33)
ختم عيسى عليه السلام كلماته المعجزة بإعلان السلام الإلهي عليه في أعظم ثلاث محطات يمر بها الإنسان: يوم ولادته، ويوم وفاته، ويوم يُبعث حياً يوم القيامة.
Frequently Asked Questions | الأسئلة الشائعة
How did Maryam defend her chastity before the townspeople?
She did not speak; she pointed to infant Jesus, and he miraculously spoke from the cradle to defend her.
What were the first words Jesus spoke to Maryam's people from the cradle?
He said: "I am truly a servant of Allah" (Inni 'abdullah), affirming pure monotheism and servanthood.
What duties did Jesus declare Allah had enjoined upon him?
He declared that Allah commanded him to establish prayer, give zakah, and treat his mother with utmost dutifulness and kindness.
How many infants spoke in the cradle according to authentic hadith?
Prophet Muhammad ﷺ stated (Sahih al-Bukhari 3436) that three infants spoke in the cradle, foremost among them Jesus son of Mary.