by Satan to remind his master and make him remember. When Joseph said, “Mention me,” he instructed him to make his master remember, but Satan made him forget to do so. Making his master remember means causing him to recall something; thus Satan made him forget to bring Joseph to his master’s mind. The word dhikr (mention or remembrance) is both a verbal noun and a noun in its own right. It may therefore enter a genitive construction in its capacity as a noun, encompassing all these meanings: that is, Satan made him forget the mention relating to his master and expressed in connection with him.

Further evidence that it was the young man, not Joseph, who forgot his master is Allah’s subsequent statement:

“But the one of the two who had been released, remembering after a long time, said, ‘I will inform you of its interpretation, so send me.’”

His words, “remembering after a long time,” show that he had forgotten and then remembered.

If it is said:

There is no doubt that Joseph used the word rabb (lord) for a master when he said, “Mention me to your master,” and “Return to your master,” and in similar statements. This was permissible under his revealed law, just as his parents and brothers were permitted to prostrate before him, and a thief could be taken as a slave under his law, although this has been abrogated in the law of Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him.

As for his words, “He is my lord, who has treated me well,” if he meant the master, there is no blame upon him. Yet it is known that refraining from the indecent deed out of fear of Allah is obligatory, even if her master approved of it. Joseph, peace be upon him, refrained from it out of fear of Allah.

“She certainly desired him, and he would have desired her