230. Who did Shaitan make forget?

We have translated this verse (12:42 ) differently from others.

This is our translation.

Between the two, whoever was expected to be released from the prison Prophet Yusuf told him “ Tell your master about me”. But Shaitan made him forget to tell his master about Prophet Yusuf as a result of which Prophet Yusuf had to spend many years in the prison.

We have translated this verse (12:42) as to say, Shaitan made the co-prisoner forget to tell his master about Prophet Yusuf.

Some have translated this as Shaitan made Prophet Yusuf forget divine remembrance.

Prophet Yusuf while in prison sought the help of the co-prisoner to “tell the master about me”. This is an act of forgetting the Almighty they (the other scholars) justify. .

Because in matters of worldly needs that people’s help requesting them does not amount to forgetting God. The words “ tell your master about me” does not in any way affect the faith one has over God.

 Verse 5:2 of the Quran ”Help each other in goodness and faith” permits seeking help from humans.

If the argument Prophet Yusuf seeking the help of another human is wrong, then we are not supposed to seek any human assistance in any matter.This argument is the result of ignorance.

In this verse the words ‘Dhikra Rabbihi’ is used, the word Rab means Almighty and also refers to leaders, masters etc.

And the other word ‘Dhikr’ refers to remembering and recitation.

There are two options to allude to the meaning of “Dhikra Rabbihi’ as ‘remembrance of God’ and ‘telling the master’.

Hence we can take the verse as per Arabic grammar to mean as “Shaitan stopped him (Prophet Yusuf) from remembering his God.”

Or,

Can be taken to mean as “ Shaitan stopped him (Co-prisoner) from remembering to tell the master.

Though there are two ways to interpret the verse, when we take the first one, is not apt because it would contradict the Quranic verse “Help each other”. Hence we need to choose the second one ..