“The meaning of compulsory rights [as depicted in the dictum...
“The meaning of compulsory rights [as depicted in the dictum of Imām ‘Alī (as) - ‘One whose rights…’] is to thank God for His blessings and praise Him for His bestowals; therefore the Imām (as) alluded to the fact that it is impossible for one to bear the responsibility of praising Him, because ‘to praise him’ is in itself among His blessings, which then necessitates another praise and thanks; consequently, the praises that He deserves would never end, due to His endless blessings.
Hence it is better to confess one’s inability and shortcoming [in praising and thanking Him]…”[^8] Almighty Allāh says in the Qur’ān: وَ إِنْ تَعُدُّوا نِعْمَتَ اللٌّهِ لاَ تُحْصُوهَا “…If you enumerate Allāh’s blessings, you will not be able to count them…” [^9] In his supplication when confessing his shortcomings in giving thanks, Imām al-Sajjād (as) says: أَللٌّهُمَّ إِنَّ أَحَداً لا يَبْلُغُ مِنْ شُكْرِكَ غَايَةً إِلا حَصَلَ عَلَيْهِ مِنْ إِحْسَانِكَ مَا يُلْزِمُهُ شُكْراً.
وَلا يَبْلُغُ مَبْلَغاً مِنْ طَاعَتِكَ وَإِنِ اجْتَهَدَ إِلاّ كَانَ مُقَصِّرا دُونَ اسْتِحْقَاقِكَ بِفَضْلِكَ. فَأَشْكَرُ عِبَادِكَ عَاجِزٌ عَنْ شُكْرِكَ، وَأَعْبَدُهُمْ مُقَصِّرٌ عَنْ طَاعَتِكَ. O Allāh, no one reaches a limit in thanking You without acquiring that of Your beneficence which enjoins upon him thanksgiving, Nor does anyone reach a degree in obeying You, even if he strives, without falling short of what You deserve because of Your bounty.
The most thankful of Your servants has not the capacity to thank You, and the most worshipful of them falls short of obeying You.[^10] Imām ‘Alī (as) is sermon 52 of Nahja’l Balāghah says: وَاللٌّهِ لَوِ انْمَاثَتْ قُلُوبُكُمُ انْمِيَاثاً-وَسَالَتْ عُيُونُكُمْ مِنْ رَغْبَةٍ إِلَيْهِ أَوْ رَهْبَةٍ مِنْهُ دَماً-ثُمَّ عُمِّرْتُمْ فِي الدُّنْيَا-مَا الدُّنْيَا بَاقِيَةٌ مَا جَزَتْ أَعْمَالُكُمْ وَلَوْ لَمْ تُبْقُوا شَيْئاً مِنْ جُهْدِكُمْ-أَنْعُمَهُ عَلَيْكُمُ الْعِظَامَ-وَهُدَاهُ إِيَّاكُمْ إلَى الإِيْمَانِ.
“By Allāh, if your hearts melt down thoroughly and your eyes shed tears of blood either in hope for Him or for fear from Him and you are also allowed to live in this world for all the time that it exists, even then your actions cannot pay for His great bounties over you and His having guided you towards faith.”[^11] Thanking Allāh As He Deserves But despite all this, Almighty Allāh has shown us a method of thanking Him.
Imām al-Sādiq (as) is reported to have said: أَوْحَى اللٌّهُ تَعَالَى إِلَى مُوسَى (ع): يَا مُوسَى اشْكُرْنِي حَقَّ شُكْرِي.