Listening Before Speaking

Many years ago, when I was still a young preacher, I was sent to a nearby town to deliver sermons during the blessed month of Ramadan. On the first night, full of enthusiasm, I climbed the pulpit and gave a well-prepared, intellectually rich sermon on monotheism and divine knowledge. Yet during the speech-and especially after the program ended-I noticed that the audience was rather small, and even those few presents showed little reaction to what I had said.

The same thing happened on the second and third nights. In fact, some of those who had attended earlier nights stopped coming altogether. As a young preacher, I became worried and discouraged. I felt that despite my academic preparation, I had failed to truly connect with the people.

On the fourth day, following the advice of an elderly man from the mosque, I decided to spend a few hours during the day among the people, talking with them, listening to their concerns, and trying to understand their way of thinking.

Through these warm conversations, I discovered that most of the residents were farmers and labourers. They were not familiar with philosophical and mystical discussions, but they were deeply interested in issues like family life, raising children, religious practices, and everyday struggles.

From that night on, I changed my approach. Instead of complex philosophical arguments, I used simple Qur’anic verses and short, practical stories. I drew examples from their daily lives and began each talk by greeting them warmly and engaging in a brief, friendly conversation.

The result was remarkable. In the following nights, more and more people began attending the mosque. They listened with enthusiasm, and some stayed long after the sermon to ask their questions.

That was when I learned a valuable lesson:

“In preaching, before I speak, I must first listen. If I want people to accept my words, I must first understand them well.”

Lessons from this experience:

• Knowing your audience is more important than simply having good content.
• Emotional and personal connection paves the way for the message to be received.
• A preacher must not only speak from the pulpit but also be present among the people.
• Sometimes, a small change in method can multiply the impact of your message.