Idris (a): Difference between revisions

In Islam, Idris (s) is one of the prophets (s) of God. The Qur’an considered him one of the greatest prophets (s) who reached a high position. Some exegetes of the Qur’an and Muslim historians considered him to be Enoch (the great-grandfather of Noah in the Bible). According to Islamic narrations, Idris (s) was the first person who made clothes and used pen for writing and studied astronomy and mathematics. His occupation was tailoring and the mosque of Sahla was his house. There is a disagreement among exegetes and Islamic scholars about him being dead or alive.

According to one opinion, he (s) was Enoch in the Bible and his father was Jared b. Mahalalel and since the name “Idris” is taken by Arabs from the Torah and the pronunciations in Arabic are different from Hebrew, his name has become different. Accordingly, some considered his name Enoch which is mentioned in the Torah.

About the life of Idris and the end of his life, there are different opinions and available documents are not very reliable, many of which are among Isra’iliyyat.

In some Islamic sources, Idris is mentioned in the lineage of the Prophet (s), while some sources have not accepted it and believe that because Idris (s) called the Prophet Muhammad (s) “al-Akh al-Salih” [the righteous brother] in the night of Mi’raj [Ascent], then he (s) cannot be among the ancestors of the Prophet (s).

Other sources have mentioned him among the ancestors of Noah. In Majma’ al-bayan, Tabarsi said, “he [Idris] is the forefather of Noah (s), his name in the Torah is Enoch and there are many hadiths about his ascent to heavens.”

In the Bible, chapter Genesis, part 5, about the fathers of Noah (s), it is said, “When Jared had lived one hundred sixty-two years, he became the father of Enoch.… he became the father of Methuselah… he became the father of Lamech… he became the father of a son; he named him Noah” (Gen. 5:18-28) This supports Majma’ al-bayan which says that Idris was the great-grandfather of Noah.

It is said that Idris (s) was sent to guide descendants of Cain who committed wrong deeds, drank wine, were polytheist and idol-worshippers. He (s) invited people to the Truth and Unity of God and asked them to follow the religion of Adam (s) and Seth (s), to be fair toward each other, to help the weak, to be ready for jihad against enemies of religion, to pay Zakat to help the poor and do not forget fasting in certain days. But, when they did not accept his call, they were afflicted by God’s wrath and were perished.

== Idris (s) in the Qur’an ==

The glorious Qur’an has mentioned his name twice in the chapters of Maryam and Anbiya and considers him a truthful, patient and righteous prophet at a high position and mentions that he (s) entered the divine mercy.

According to some verses and hadiths, some believe that God raised him to some higher skies and thus, it is mentioned in the Qur’an, “and We raised him to a station exalted.” (19:57) Some others believe that raising even with to highest locations cannot be a merit; thus, by “a station exalted”, one of the stations of closeness to God is meant and from the context of stories mentioned in this chapter and the blessings of prophethood and wilaya are mentioned which are spiritual positions, the mentioned interpretation can be proved.

In the verses “and Zechariah, John, Jesus and Ilyas, - each of them among the righteous” (6:85) and “And indeed Ilyas was one of the apostles” (37:123), some exegetes believe that Ilyas is actually Idris and have mentioned the characteristics and stories about Idris in their comments for these verses for Ilyas. Some have recited “‘Peace be to Ilyas!’” (37:130) as “peace be to Idris”.

However, it seems that Ilyas is different from Idris, because in chapter An’am, it is mentioned, “This was Our argument that We gave to Abraham against his people. We raise in rank whomever We wish. Indeed your Lord is all-wise, all-knowing. * And We gave him Isaac and Jacob and guided each of them. And Noah We had guided before, and from his offspring, David and Solomon, Job, Joseph, Moses and Aaron —thus do We reward the virtuous— * and Zechariah, John, Jesus and Ilyas, —each of them among the righteous” (6:83 – 85) In these verses, the preposition in “from his offspring” goes back to either Abraham (a) or Noah (a), and thus Ilyas would not be Idris, because Ilyas would either be among the descendants of Abraham (a) or Noah (a), while Idris was before Noah (a) and was among his ancestors.

It is mentioned in hadiths that, the cause of raising Idris to skies was that an angel gave him the good news of acceptance of his deeds and forgiveness for his slips. He thus wished to live an eternal life. The angel asked him, “why do you wish for an eternal life?” Idris said, “to praise God, because during my life, I prayed that God accepts my deeds and now that I have achieved what I prayed for, I want to thank and praise God for it.” That angel opened his wings and embraced him and raised him to skies.

In answer to a question of AbuDhar about the number of books God revealed to His prophets, the Prophet (s) answered, “104 books, 50 of which were revealed to Seth (s), 30 to Idris (s), 20 to Abraham (a) plus the Torah, the Bible, the Psalms and Furqan.” He (s) then added that, “the first person who wrote with pen was Idris (s).”

It is mentioned in narrations that Idris (s) was pious and ascetic and prayed to God a thousand times a day. His house is considered to be the mosque of Sahla and that he (s) did tailoring. Imam Ali (a) said, “God raised Idris (s) and he (s) enjoys the foods of paradise after he (s) passed away.”