He said, "Will I trust you?" This means, will I accept from you now and in the future your assurance to me regarding what would distress me, a trust that is superior over it, meaning, Benjamin. "Except as I trusted you," meaning, in the past, "regarding his brother," meaning, Yusuf, blessings and peace be upon him.

And since Yusuf, blessings and peace be upon him, had not been aware of any betrayal before what they did to him, and his trust in them regarding him was only for a short time, the neighbor affirmed and said, "Before," for you have confirmed the utmost certainty, yet you did not preserve it for me nor return it to me - and security is the tranquility of the heart regarding the safety of the self - so I do not feel secure about him except Allah. "Indeed, Allah," meaning, the One who encompasses knowledge and power, "is the best protector" from you and from anyone else, and He is, meaning, both inwardly and outwardly, "the most merciful of the merciful." Thus, He is more merciful to me than to cause me distress with him after my calamity with my brother.