At first, both women persisted in their claims. Sulayman's proposed action elicited different reactions. The woman who preferred saving the child to winning her own claim supplied an important indication that she was the true mother.
A contextual indication (qarinah) is a circumstance pointing toward a conclusion. Not every indication is conclusive in every setting; in this particular case, the response was crucial to the judgment.
This account does not authorize harming children or encourage unqualified people to conduct dangerous tests. It teaches discernment, attention to evidence, and protection of rights when claims conflict.