The call
Allah sent Nuh to his people to warn them before a painful punishment. He called them openly and in private, by night and by day, to worship Allah, fear Him and obey their messenger. He told them to seek their Lord's forgiveness, and that He would send rain, increase them in wealth and children, and give them gardens and rivers. He pointed to the heavens, the moon and the sun as signs of the One who created them.
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ إِنَّآ أَرْسَلْنَا نُوحًا إِلَىٰ قَوْمِهِۦٓ أَنْ أَنذِرْ قَوْمَكَ مِن قَبْلِ أَن يَأْتِيَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌۭ ﴿1﴾ قَالَ يَٰقَوْمِ إِنِّى لَكُمْ نَذِيرٌۭ مُّبِينٌ ﴿2﴾ أَنِ ٱعْبُدُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَٱتَّقُوهُ وَأَطِيعُونِ ﴿3﴾ يَغْفِرْ لَكُم مِّن ذُنُوبِكُمْ وَيُؤَخِّرْكُمْ إِلَىٰٓ أَجَلٍۢ مُّسَمًّى ۚ إِنَّ أَجَلَ ٱللَّهِ إِذَا جَآءَ لَا يُؤَخَّرُ ۖ لَوْ كُنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ ﴿4﴾ قَالَ رَبِّ إِنِّى دَعَوْتُ قَوْمِى لَيْلًۭا وَنَهَارًۭا ﴿5﴾ فَلَمْ يَزِدْهُمْ دُعَآءِىٓ إِلَّا فِرَارًۭا ﴿6﴾ وَإِنِّى كُلَّمَا دَعَوْتُهُمْ لِتَغْفِرَ لَهُمْ جَعَلُوٓا۟ أَصَٰبِعَهُمْ فِىٓ ءَاذَانِهِمْ وَٱسْتَغْشَوْا۟ ثِيَابَهُمْ وَأَصَرُّوا۟ وَٱسْتَكْبَرُوا۟ ٱسْتِكْبَارًۭا ﴿7﴾ ثُمَّ إِنِّى دَعَوْتُهُمْ جِهَارًۭا ﴿8﴾ ثُمَّ إِنِّىٓ أَعْلَنتُ لَهُمْ وَأَسْرَرْتُ لَهُمْ إِسْرَارًۭا ﴿9﴾ فَقُلْتُ ٱسْتَغْفِرُوا۟ رَبَّكُمْ إِنَّهُۥ كَانَ غَفَّارًۭا ﴿10﴾ يُرْسِلِ ٱلسَّمَآءَ عَلَيْكُم مِّدْرَارًۭا ﴿11﴾ وَيُمْدِدْكُم بِأَمْوَٰلٍۢ وَبَنِينَ وَيَجْعَل لَّكُمْ جَنَّٰتٍۢ وَيَجْعَل لَّكُمْ أَنْهَٰرًۭا ﴿12﴾ مَّا لَكُمْ لَا تَرْجُونَ لِلَّهِ وَقَارًۭا ﴿13﴾ وَقَدْ خَلَقَكُمْ أَطْوَارًا ﴿14﴾ أَلَمْ تَرَوْا۟ كَيْفَ خَلَقَ ٱللَّهُ سَبْعَ سَمَٰوَٰتٍۢ طِبَاقًۭا ﴿15﴾ وَجَعَلَ ٱلْقَمَرَ فِيهِنَّ نُورًۭا وَجَعَلَ ٱلشَّمْسَ سِرَاجًۭا ﴿16﴾ وَٱللَّهُ أَنۢبَتَكُم مِّنَ ٱلْأَرْضِ نَبَاتًۭا ﴿17﴾ ثُمَّ يُعِيدُكُمْ فِيهَا وَيُخْرِجُكُمْ إِخْرَاجًۭا ﴿18﴾ وَٱللَّهُ جَعَلَ لَكُمُ ٱلْأَرْضَ بِسَاطًۭا ﴿19﴾ لِّتَسْلُكُوا۟ مِنْهَا سُبُلًۭا فِجَاجًۭا ﴿20﴾
(1) Indeed, We sent Noah to his people, [saying], "Warn your people before there comes to them a painful punishment." (2) He said, "O my people, indeed I am to you a clear warner, (3) [Saying], 'Worship Allah, fear Him and obey me. (4) Allah will forgive you of your sins and delay you for a specified term. Indeed, the time [set by] Allah, when it comes, will not be delayed, if you only knew.' " (5) He said, "My Lord, indeed I invited my people [to truth] night and day. (6) But my invitation increased them not except in flight. (7) And indeed, every time I invited them that You may forgive them, they put their fingers in their ears, covered themselves with their garments, persisted, and were arrogant with [great] arrogance. (8) Then I invited them publicly. (9) Then I announced to them and [also] confided to them secretly (10) And said, 'Ask forgiveness of your Lord. Indeed, He is ever a Perpetual Forgiver. (11) He will send [rain from] the sky upon you in [continuing] showers (12) And give you increase in wealth and children and provide for you gardens and provide for you rivers. (13) What is [the matter] with you that you do not attribute to Allah [due] grandeur (14) While He has created you in stages? (15) Do you not consider how Allah has created seven heavens in layers (16) And made the moon therein a [reflected] light and made the sun a burning lamp? (17) And Allah has caused you to grow from the earth a [progressive] growth. (18) Then He will return you into it and extract you [another] extraction. (19) And Allah has made for you the earth an expanse (20) That you may follow therein roads of passage.' "