“I cannot protect you at all against Allah. Judgment belongs to Allah alone. In Him I have placed my trust, and in Him let those who trust place their trust.”

Furthermore, Allah Himself testified that Joseph was among His sincere servants. A sincere servant cannot remain sincere while placing his trust in anyone other than Allah, for that is polytheism. Joseph associated no partners with Allah, whether in his worship or in his reliance. Indeed, he relied on his Lord concerning his own conduct when he said:

“Unless You turn their plotting away from me, I may incline towards them and become one of the ignorant.”

How, then, could he fail to rely on Him concerning the actions of His servants?

His words, “Mention me to your master,” are like his words to the king:

“Appoint me over the storehouses of the land; I am indeed a knowledgeable guardian.”

His request for authority to serve a religious benefit did not contradict reliance on Allah, nor did it constitute the prohibited seeking of leadership. How, then, could his words to the young man, “Mention me to your master,” contradict reliance on Allah? They were merely a request to inform the king about him, so that he would learn of his circumstances and the truth would become clear.

Joseph was among the most steadfast of people. Thus, when he was summoned, and “the king said, ‘Bring him to me,’” he said:

“Return to your master and ask him about the women who cut their hands. Surely my Lord knows their plotting well.”

Joseph remembered his Lord in this situation just as he had remembered Him in the earlier one. He also said:

“Return to your master and ask him about the women.”

Thus, there was nothing in his saying to him, “Mention me