Prophets Ādam, Nūḥ and Hūd: The Patience of the Prophets
Section 10 of 30 · Lives of the Prophets
Night and Day, Publicly and Privately
What were the methods of the daʿwah of Nūḥ? What methods did he use? How did he perform his daʿwah? Allah (swt) says:
قَالَ رَبِّ إِنِّى دَعَوْتُ قَوْمِى لَيْلًا وَنَهَارًا
“He said, “My Lord, I have called my people night and day,” (71:5)
Qāla rabbi innī daʿawtu qawmī laylan wa nahārā: he said, O my Lord, verily I have called my people night and day. So he used to make daʿwah to them in the night and the day. And he said:
ثُمَّ إِنِّى دَعَوْتُهُمْ جِهَارًا ثُمَّ إِنِّىٓ أَعْلَنتُ لَهُمْ وَأَسْرَرْتُ لَهُمْ إِسْرَارًا
“Then I called them loudly, and then I spoke to them in public and spoke to them in private.” (71:8–9)
Thumma innī daʿawtuhum jihārā, thumma innī aʿlantu lahum wa asrartu lahum isrārā: then verily I called to them openly; then verily I proclaimed to them in public, and I have appealed to them in private. So he used jahr, which is announcing to everyone. And then he used aʿlantu lahum — I would speak to them — and also I would speak to them publicly and privately. So he used daʿwah at night, he used daʿwah in the day, he used public, and he used private. He varied his methods. He tried every way possible.
So in our daʿwah, we should take advantage of every resource that we have. Everything — take advantage of everything: telephone, CDs, audio cassettes, internet, speeches, individual daʿwah on the individual level, visitations, through your akhlāq, pamphlets, books. Don't think that anything will not work. Use whatever you can, because Sayyidunā Nūḥ used whatever was possible to him. Any method — use it for the sake of Allah (swt).