The Prophetic Daʿwah Discourse in Sūrah Hūd

The propagator of faith shoulders a momentous responsibility, treading a path first paved by the divinely commissioned prophets, who expended their utmost efforts in guiding and reforming humanity. Understanding their daʿwah (Arabic: دعوة) discourse is, therefore, an indispensable necessity for contemporary religious preachers. This study, adopting a descriptive-analytical approach, explores the prophetic discourse of daʿwah in Sūrah Hūd, which presents a structured framework outlining the methodology of prophetic invitation. The findings indicate that the prophets mentioned in Sūrah Hūd consistently called their people towards monotheism and devotion to God, urging them to abandon corruption and sin while addressing their social and economic concerns. In this endeavor, they employed a variety of persuasive techniques, including warning (Arabic: إنذار, Romanized: indhār), recounting admonitory narratives, perseverance (Arabic: صبر, Romanized: ṣabr), refusal of material compensation, and fostering fraternity and compassion. Given that most people reacted antagonistically towards the prophetic discourse, a significant section of this study examines the obstacles that led nations to reject divine guidance. These impediments include blind imitation of ancestors, accusations against prophets, arrogance, intellectual stagnation, and submission to the ruling elite. The prophets, however, systematically countered these barriers with strategic approaches aimed at dismantling societal resistance. The prophetic discourse of Sūrah Hūd, when analyzed comprehensively, offers applicable and adaptable insights for modern-day preachers and religious scholars, equipping them with timeless principles of daʿwah.