Imam sheds light on the subject in his famous work "Forty Hadith as following:
For example, compare the gratitude we feel toward someone who gives us a horse for personal gain with the gratitude we feel toward someone who generously grants us a village spanning several hectares without expecting anything in return. Similarly, if a doctor restores our sight and delivers us from the darkness of blindness, we naturally feel profound gratitude toward that person. If someone saves us from the clutches of death, our gratitude is greater still.
Now reflect upon the countless visible and invisible blessings bestowed upon us by Almighty God—blessings that all human beings and the jinn together could not provide, even in the smallest measure.
Consider, for instance, the air we breathe day and night, upon which our existence and that of other living beings depend. Without it, life cannot be sustained for long. What a magnificent gift it is! Even if all human beings and the jinn of the world were to labour tirelessly, they could never create such a blessing by themselves.
Likewise, consider the other gifts of God: our external senses of sight, hearing, taste, smell, and touch, as well as our inner faculties of thought, imagination, and reason. Each possesses countless benefits, and all have been granted to us by our Lord. Beyond these invaluable gifts, there are innumerable other blessings that we often overlook.
Moreover, God has sent His messengers and prophets and revealed His Books to guide us toward the right path and warn us against the wrong one. Through them, He has shown us the way that leads to Paradise and cautioned us against the path that leads to Hell. He provides for our needs in this world and the Hereafter, while having no need whatsoever for our worship or obedience.
Whether we obey His commands or transgress them makes no difference to His greatness or perfection. His commands and prohibitions are for our own benefit: He enjoins what is good and forbids what is indecent because He wills our guidance and well-being.
When we remember these and the countless other blessings whose full measure lies beyond human comprehension, should we not recognise that respecting and obeying such a Benefactor is a moral and rational obligation? Can reason possibly approve of disregarding His commands while continuing to enjoy His blessings?
It is an observable fact that people respect those whom they regard as great, as well as those who are older than themselves. They also tend to honour the wealthy, the powerful, rulers, and kings because of their perceived status and authority. But can the greatness of any of these be compared with the grandeur and majesty of the King of kings, in whose vast dominion our world is but a speck of dust?
He is the Creator and Sovereign of this immense universe, whose vastness cannot be measured or even fully conceived by the human intellect.
Human beings, dwelling upon one of the smallest planets, struggle even to comprehend the scale of their own cosmic neighbourhood. Our Sun is but one star among countless others, many of which are vastly greater than it. Our solar system is only a tiny part of a universe containing innumerable other star systems and galaxies, many of whose mysteries continue to elude our most powerful telescopes and our greatest scientific investigations.
If human reason teaches us to respect those who possess even limited greatness, should it not lead us to revere the Greatest of all—the One who encompasses the knowledge of the smallest details of the worlds we know, as well as those beyond our knowledge? His knowledge is not confined by space, distance, or the limits of human understanding. Does not both reason and the great book of nature call us to recognise His majesty and greatness?
If anyone fails to acknowledge God’s greatness, or continues to disobey Him despite recognising His blessings, that person must become especially vigilant and self-aware. Almighty God is present everywhere, and no hidden corner of the world lies beyond His knowledge and awareness. Every living being is within the reach of His knowledge, and nothing is concealed from Him.
Therefore, never forget God.
A moment of sincere remorse will not destroy you, nor will a humble admission of your shortcomings bring you to ruin. Rather, such humility may become the beginning of your spiritual awakening. My dear friend, remember God, recall His countless favours and graces, and cease disobeying Him.
Rise against the satanic forces within yourself and overcome them in this great struggle. Transform the realm of your mind into a sanctuary of divine light by driving out the legions of Satan and welcoming the hosts of righteousness. Seek God’s help, so that He may support and protect you against the dangers that threaten you in this battle.
Yet there is another battlefield, far more immense and significant: the struggle (jihad) against the self—the unseen world within us. This is the second stage of the struggle, and we shall discuss it in due course.
For now, remember this: place your hopes in no one above God, the Almighty. No one can truly help you independently of Him. Approach Him with complete humility, shed tears of sincere repentance, and implore Him to forgive your sins and grant you the strength to emerge victorious in this crucial struggle.