He thought that he would be saved. The one who thinks is Yusuf if his interpretation is by way of ijtihad, and if it is by way of revelation, then the one who thinks is the cupbearer. The thought may be in the sense of certainty. "Mention me in the presence of your lord," meaning my classification before the king by my description, and recount my story to him, perhaps he will have mercy on me and rescue me from this predicament. Then Satan caused him to forget the mention of his Lord, so the cupbearer forgot to mention him to his Lord. It was said that Yusuf forgot the mention of Allah when he entrusted his affair to someone else. For a number of years, the term 'number of years' refers to a period between three to nine, and the majority of opinions hold that he remained in it for seven years. If you say: How can Satan have power over a person? I say: He whispers to the servant with distractions that cause him to forget, until the remembrance of it is removed from his heart. As for the initial act of causing forgetfulness, only Allah, the Exalted, has power over it. "We do not abrogate any verse or cause it to be forgotten." If you say: What is the reason for attributing the mention to his Lord if it refers to the king? And it is neither an addition of the source to the doer nor to the object? I say: It is mixed in your saying: "Satan caused him to forget the mention of his Lord," or "at his Lord," so its addition to Him is permissible, because the addition can occur with the slightest connection. Or it is on the assumption: "Satan caused him to forget the mention of the news of his Lord," so the added part, which is the news, was omitted. If you say: Why did I not criticize Yusuf for seeking help from others than Allah in uncovering what he was in, while Allah, the Exalted, said: "And cooperate in righteousness and piety" and mentioned about Jesus, peace be upon him: "Who are my supporters for Allah?" And in the hadith: "Allah helps the servant as long as the servant helps his Muslim brother" [Agreed upon from the hadith of Abu Huraira in the middle of the narration]. "Whoever relieves a believer from a hardship, Allah will relieve him from a hardship of the hardships of the Hereafter." And from Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her: The Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be upon him, did not sleep one night, and he was seeking someone to guard him until Sa'd came, and I heard his snoring [Agreed upon through Abdullah ibn Amer ibn Rabiah from her with the wording: "The Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be upon him, was restless one night. He said: 'I wish a righteous man from my companions would guard me tonight.' Then I heard the sound of weapons, and the Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be upon him, stood up. Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas said: 'O Messenger of Allah, I have come to guard you.' Aisha said: 'He slept until I heard his snoring.' And Al-Hakim erred and corrected it.]. And is this not like seeking treatment with medicines and strengthening oneself with drinks and foods? And if this is because the king was a disbeliever, there is no disagreement on the permissibility of seeking help from disbelievers in repelling oppression, drowning, burning, and other harms? I say: Just as Allah, the Exalted, chose the prophets from His creation, He has chosen for them the best and most preferred matters. It is more appropriate and better for the prophet that he does not entrust his affair, when afflicted with a trial, except to his Lord, and does not seek support except from Him, especially if the one he seeks support from is a disbeliever, so that the disbelievers do not gloat over him and say: 'If this were upon the truth and he had a Lord who would aid him, he would not have sought help from us.' And from Al-Hasan, he would cry when he recited it and say: 'We, when a matter befalls us, turn to people.'