Al-Mutanabbi's Poetry and the Philosophy of Willpower

Most people are familiar with Al-Mutanabbi's famous verse:

مَا كُلُّ مَا يَتَمَنَّى الْمَرْءُ يُدْرِكُهُ
تَجْرِي الرِّيَاحُ بِمَا لَا تَشْتَهِي السُّفُنُ

"Not everything that one wishes for does one achieve;
The winds blow contrary to what ships desire."

This is what we were taught in schools, and so we often repeat these lines as an excuse for our shortcomings—especially when we fail to accomplish something. We blame the winds instead of blaming ourselves.

But what they never taught us in school were the other, more empowering lines of poetry:

تجري الرياح كما تجري سفينتنا
نحن الرياح ونحن البحر والسفنُ
إن الذي يرتجي شيئاً بهمّتهِ
يلقاهُ لو حاربتهُ الإنسُ والجنُ
فاقصدْ إلى قمم الأشياء تدركها
تجري الرياح كما رادت لها السفنُ

"The winds blow as our ship sails;
We are the winds, we are the sea, and we are the ships.
Whoever aspires to something with determination
Will attain it, even if humans and jinn oppose him.
Aim for the summits, and you will reach them—
The winds blow as the ships have willed them."

The Duality of Perspective

The first verse invites us to accept reality.
But these other verses call us to shape reality.

We can overcome the impossible if our will is strong, creative, and productive—so long as it does not contradict our faith, our principles, and the teachings of our Prophet ﷺ and his noble household.

As the poet said:

فمن رام صعود الجبال فلا يخاف من وقوع الحجر
"Whoever desires to climb mountains does not fear the falling stones."

The Captain of Your Ship

And if you are the captain of your ship, then you can steer it and direct it as you wish, toward any destination you choose. You guide the ship; it does not guide you.

When a person has a strong and mature will guiding his life, it is only natural that he subdues hardships and overcomes obstacles, moving steadily toward success, fulfilling his ambitions, and bringing his projects to life. In such a case, the impossible nearly disappears from his world.

The Edison Example

It is said that the great inventor Thomas Edison carried out 999 failed experiments before the thousandth gave birth to the electric light bulb. When asked about his failures, he confidently replied:

"It was the experiments that failed—not me."

Indeed, willpower is a priceless treasure. If one lives life with strong determination—away from negligence and arrogance, but also far from laziness and withdrawal—then he will live a life filled with success.

Divine Perspective

And I conclude with the words of Allah Almighty:

وَأَنْ لَيْسَ لِلْإِنْسَانِ إِلَّا مَا سَعَى، وَأَنَّ سَعْيَهُ سَوْفَ يُرَى (النجم: 39-40)

"And that man shall have nothing but what he strives for,
And that his striving will surely be seen." ❤️💪

The balance between acceptance and determination is not contradiction—it's wisdom. We accept what we cannot control while taking full responsibility for what we can influence. This is the essence of true willpower.