Yusuf 42: To the one, whom he knew he would be freed, he said; “Mention me to your master (so that he might save me).” But Devil (Shaytan) has made him forget to mention. And thus, he (Joseph) stayed in prison for several more years.

In the meantime, that two companions of his entered the prison, our Lord made known to us. Then those two people have a dream.

One sees birds eating bread on his head. For the other, wine comes out. Joseph (peace be upon him), after instilling the religion of tawhid in them, tells them the interpretation of the dream. One of you will be hanged, the birds will eat your brains from your heads. The other will, as before, give his master wine to drink, offer him wine. To the one who offers wine he says: when you come to your master, tell him, remind him that I am here. Since Joseph (peace be upon him) was a prophet, his hoping for help from a king or from a human being caused Allah Almighty to keep him in prison two more years.

Before explaining verse 42 of Surah Yusuf, we did a small recap. Yes: To the one he knew would be saved, he said: Mention me before your master, perhaps he will release me. But Satan made him forget to mention him to his master. So Joseph remained in prison for several more years. That is how the verse reads. The man he knew would be saved: Satan makes the man forget Joseph's words. Of course, all of it is by Allah's mercy; otherwise Satan has no power over man. These are programmed; he will forget. In this way Joseph will remain in prison two more years. So Joseph, in the prison, will be even better trained by his Lord.

Yes, after interpreting their dreams, he turned to the one who would be saved and said: O my prison companions, tell your master that I am held in prison unjustly. Perhaps your master will remember me and release me from here. He was in prison for five years. He lies in prison for five years.

That people who submit to Allah should leave things to Allah and not ask people for help, in His verses He makes known. Allah Almighty, to us: we will ask for help not from people but from Allah. When people who love Allah help others, that person has helped not that person but Allah. And the person has received help from Allah. In this way people's superiority over one another disappears. All of them have helped one another for Allah's sake. That people who submit to Allah should leave things to Allah and not ask people for help, our Lord makes known to us in His verses. That is, Allah Almighty, in response to Joseph (peace be upon him) asking someone else for help, kept Joseph (peace be upon him) in prison two more years extra. Two more years. A prophet seeks help from no one but Allah; in their tightest moments their helper is Allah, because they are Allah's messengers, and Allah is the helper of His messengers. Because Joseph (peace be upon him), instead of asking Allah for help, asked a human being for help, Satan made this man forget to mention Joseph (peace be upon him) before his master; Joseph, who had been in prison five years, (peace be upon him) stayed two extra years in prison, remaining in prison seven years in total. And according to some commentaries, Joseph, who had been in prison seven years, (peace be upon him), through Satan's causing forgetfulness, stayed five more years, in total twelve years in prison, they say.

But the most correct, agreed-upon length of imprisonment is seven years. Allah Almighty does not make a person suffer in prison and then, in addition, someone through Satan's causing forgetfulness, (?) five more of an injustice. For example, when Moses went up Mount Sinai, after he completed 30 days, 10 more days Allah Almighty adds. He makes it 40 days. 40 days. Of course, this was to sift out the events that would happen among his people; Allah is aware of everything. What happens? (?) Samiri collects the gold, makes a calf. When the calf lows with the sound of the wind, he says: this is your god, and deceives (?) people in this way. Then, so that those who know and those who do not come to light, Allah Almighty extends His promise to Moses there by ten more days.

Here too, after five years in prison, one third: if for Moses He extended by ten days, then here too, corresponding to one third, roughly (?), two more years, Joseph (peace be upon him) was made to stay in prison extra. The truth is best known to Allah and His Messenger. But the verse saying that Joseph's (peace be upon him) time in prison was several years more: because Satan made Joseph (peace be upon him) forget to ask Allah for help, Allah put Joseph (peace be upon him) in prison 2 extra years, adding to the 5 years 2 more years: his (?) life of 7 years in total is what it shows.