Introduction
The Quran mentions many prophets, but some remain mysterious, including Idris (AS). Unlike other prophets, few details about his life exist. So who exactly is Idris (AS) according to the Quran and authentic Hadith? Here’s what we know for certain about this enigmatic figure.
What the Quran Tells Us About Idris (AS)
Allah mentions Idris (AS) by name only twice in the Quran, giving us brief but important insights:
And mention in the Book O Prophet, the story of Enoch. He was surely a man of truth and a prophet.
وَٱذْكُرْ فِى ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ إِدْرِيسَ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ كَانَ صِدِّيقًۭا نَّبِيًّۭا
Quran 19:56
And Ishmael, Enoch, and Ⱬul-Kifl. They were all steadfast.
وَإِسْمَـٰعِيلَ وَإِدْرِيسَ وَذَا ٱلْكِفْلِ ۖ كُلٌّۭ مِّنَ ٱلصَّـٰبِرِينَ
We admitted them into Our mercy, for they were truly of the righteous.
وَأَدْخَلْنَـٰهُمْ فِى رَحْمَتِنَآ ۖ إِنَّهُم مِّنَ ٱلصَّـٰلِحِينَ
Quran 21:85-86
These verses establish three key facts:
- He was a recognized prophet
- He was exceptionally truthful
- He was among the patient and steadfast
The Limited Historical Context
While some scholars suggest Idris (AS) may be the biblical Enoch, the Quran and authentic Hadith don’t confirm this connection. What we do know from Islamic sources:
The Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) saw Idris (AS) in the fourth heaven during Al-Isra’ wal-Mi’raj:
I was near the House (i. e. Ka’bah) in a state between sleep and wakefulness when I heard someone say: He is the third among the two persons. Then he came to me and took me with him. Then a golden basin containing the water of Zamzam was brought to me and my heart was opened up to such and such (part). Qatada said: I asked him who was with me (i e. the narrator) and what he meant by such and such (part). He replied: (It means that it was opened) up to the lower part of his abdomen (Then the hadith continues): My heart was extracted and it was washed with the water of Zamzam and then it was restored in its original position, after which it was filled with faith and wisdom. I was then brought a white beast which is called al-Buraq, bigger than a donkey and smaller than a mule. Its stride was as long as the eye could reach. I was mounted on it, and then we went forth till we reached the lowest heaven. Gabriel asked for the (gate) to be opened, and it was said: Who is he? He replied: Gabriel. It was again said: Who is with thee? He replied: Muhammad (ﷺ). It was said: Has he been sent for? He (Gabriel) said: Yes. He (the Prophet) said: Then (the gate) was opened for us (and it was said): Welcome unto him! His is a blessed arrival. Then we came to Adam (peace be upon him). And he (the narrator) narrated the whole account of the hadith. (The Holy Prophet) observed that he met Jesus in the second heaven, Yahya (peace be on both of them) in the third heaven, Yusuf in the third, Idris (AS) in the fourth, Harun in the fifth (peace and blessings of Allah be upon them). Then we travelled on till we reached the sixth heaven and came to Moses (peace be upon him) and I greeted him and he said: Welcome unto righteous brother and righteous prophet. And when I passed (by him) he wept, and a voice was heard saying: What makes thee weep? He said: My Lord, he is a young man whom Thou hast sent after me (as a prophet) and his followers will enter Paradise in greater numbers than my followers. Then we travelled on till we reached the seventh heaven and I came to Ibrahim. He (the narrator) narrat- ed in this hadith that the Prophet of Allah (ﷺ) told that he saw four rivers which flowed from (the root of the lote-tree of the farthest limits): two manifest rivers and two hidden rivers. I said: ‘ Gabriel! what are these rivers? He replied: The two hidden rivers are the rivers of Paradise, and as regards the two manifest ones, they are the Nile and the Euphrates. Then the Bait-ul-Ma’mur was raised up to me. I said: O Gabriel! what is this? He replied: It is the Bait-ul-Ma’mur. Seventy thousand angels enter into it daily and, after they come out, they never return again. Two vessels were then brought to me. The first one contained wine and the second one contained milk, and both of them were placed before me. I chose milk. It was said: You did right. Allah will guide rightly through you your Ummah on the natural course. Then fifty prayers daily were made obligatory for me. And then he narrated the rest of the hadith to the end.
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْمُثَنَّى، حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ أَبِي عَدِيٍّ، عَنْ سَعِيدٍ، عَنْ قَتَادَةَ، عَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ، – لَعَلَّهُ قَالَ – عَنْ مَالِكِ بْنِ صَعْصَعَةَ، – رَجُلٌ مِنْ قَوْمِهِ – قَالَ قَالَ نَبِيُّ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ” بَيْنَا أَنَا عِنْدَ الْبَيْتِ بَيْنَ النَّائِمِ وَالْيَقْظَانِ إِذْ سَمِعْتُ قَائِلاً يَقُولُ أَحَدُ الثَّلاَثَةِ بَيْنَ الرَّجُلَيْنِ . فَأُتِيتُ فَانْطُلِقَ بِي فَأُتِيتُ بِطَسْتٍ مِنْ ذَهَبٍ فِيهَا مِنْ مَاءِ زَمْزَمَ فَشُرِحَ صَدْرِي إِلَى كَذَا وَكَذَا ” . قَالَ قَتَادَةُ فَقُلْتُ لِلَّذِي مَعِي مَا يَعْنِي قَالَ إِلَى أَسْفَلِ بَطْنِهِ ” فَاسْتُخْرِجَ قَلْبِي فَغُسِلَ بِمَاءِ زَمْزَمَ ثُمَّ أُعِيدَ مَكَانَهُ ثُمَّ حُشِيَ إِيمَانًا وَحِكْمَةً ثُمَّ أُتِيتُ بِدَابَّةٍ أَبْيَضَ يُقَالُ لَهُ الْبُرَاقُ فَوْقَ الْحِمَارِ وَدُونَ الْبَغْلِ يَقَعُ خَطْوُهُ عِنْدَ أَقْصَى طَرْفِهِ فَحُمِلْتُ عَلَيْهِ ثُمَّ انْطَلَقْنَا حَتَّى أَتَيْنَا السَّمَاءَ الدُّنْيَا فَاسْتَفْتَحَ جِبْرِيلُ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقِيلَ مَنْ هَذَا قَالَ جِبْرِيلُ . قِيلَ وَمَنْ مَعَكَ قَالَ مُحَمَّدٌ صلى الله عليه وسلم . قِيلَ وَقَدْ بُعِثَ إِلَيْهِ قَالَ نَعَمْ – قَالَ – فَفَتَحَ لَنَا وَقَالَ مَرْحَبًا بِهِ وَلَنِعْمَ الْمَجِيءُ جَاءَ – قَالَ – فَأَتَيْنَا عَلَى آدَمَ صلى الله عليه وسلم ” . وَسَاقَ الْحَدِيثَ بِقِصَّتِهِ . وَذَكَرَ أَنَّهُ لَقِيَ فِي السَّمَاءِ الثَّانِيَةِ عِيسَى وَيَحْيَى – عَلَيْهِمَا السَّلاَمُ – وَفِي الثَّالِثَةِ يُوسُفَ وَفِي الرَّابِعَةِ إِدْرِيسَ وَفِي الْخَامِسَةِ هَارُونَ – صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِمْ وَسَلَّمَ – قَالَ ” ثُمَّ انْطَلَقْنَا حَتَّى انْتَهَيْنَا إِلَى السَّمَاءِ السَّادِسَةِ فَأَتَيْتُ عَلَى مُوسَى عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ فَسَلَّمْتُ عَلَيْهِ فَقَالَ مَرْحَبًا بِالأَخِ الصَّالِحِ وَالنَّبِيِّ الصَّالِحِ . فَلَمَّا جَاوَزْتُهُ بَكَى فَنُودِيَ مَا يُبْكِيكَ قَالَ رَبِّ هَذَا غُلاَمٌ بَعَثْتَهُ بَعْدِي يَدْخُلُ مِنْ أُمَّتِهِ الْجَنَّةَ أَكْثَرُ مِمَّا يَدْخُلُ مِنْ أُمَّتِي . – قَالَ – ثُمَّ انْطَلَقْنَا حَتَّى انْتَهَيْنَا إِلَى السَّمَاءِ السَّابِعَةِ فَأَتَيْتُ عَلَى إِبْرَاهِيمَ ” . وَقَالَ فِي الْحَدِيثِ وَحَدَّثَ نَبِيُّ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَنَّهُ رَأَى أَرْبَعَةَ أَنْهَارٍ يَخْرُجُ مِنْ أَصْلِهَا نَهْرَانِ ظَاهِرَانِ وَنَهْرَانِ بَاطِنَانِ ” فَقُلْتُ يَا جِبْرِيلُ مَا هَذِهِ الأَنْهَارُ قَالَ أَمَّا النَّهْرَانِ الْبَاطِنَانِ فَنَهْرَانِ فِي الْجَنَّةِ وَأَمَّا الظَّاهِرَانِ فَالنِّيلُ وَالْفُرَاتُ . ثُمَّ رُفِعَ لِيَ الْبَيْتُ الْمَعْمُورُ فَقُلْتُ يَا جِبْرِيلُ مَا هَذَا قَالَ هَذَا الْبَيْتُ الْمَعْمُورُ يَدْخُلُهُ كُلَّ يَوْمٍ سَبْعُونَ أَلْفَ مَلَكٍ إِذَا خَرَجُوا مِنْهُ لَمْ يَعُودُوا فِيهِ آخِرُ مَا عَلَيْهِمْ . ثُمَّ أُتِيتُ بِإِنَاءَيْنِ أَحَدُهُمَا خَمْرٌ وَالآخَرُ لَبَنٌ فَعُرِضَا عَلَىَّ فَاخْتَرْتُ اللَّبَنَ فَقِيلَ أَصَبْتَ أَصَابَ اللَّهُ بِكَ أُمَّتُكَ عَلَى الْفِطْرَةِ . ثُمَّ فُرِضَتْ عَلَىَّ كُلَّ يَوْمٍ خَمْسُونَ صَلاَةً ” . ثُمَّ ذَكَرَ قِصَّتَهَا إِلَى آخِرِ الْحَدِيثِ .
Early Muslim historians like Ibn Ishaq mentioned Idris (AS) was the first to write with a pen.
Beyond these points, we have no verified details about his life, mission, or people.
Why This Matters for Muslims
The limited information about Idris (AS) offers profound lessons for believers. First, it reminds us that not all prophets’ stories were preserved in detail – a matter of divine wisdom from Allah. Second, it demonstrates how quality outweighs quantity, as even his brief Quranic mentions carry significant weight. Most importantly, it teaches us to focus on the essence of his message rather than biographical details – his divinely given titles of “truthful” and “steadfast” (Quran 19:56, 21:85-86) hold far greater importance than speculative narratives about his life. This approach reflects the balanced Islamic perspective of valuing what Allah has revealed while avoiding unnecessary speculation about what He chose not to disclose.
Conclusion
So who is Idris (AS) in the Quran? He was a prophet honored by Allah for his truthfulness and patience, but beyond that, Allah has chosen not to reveal more. This reminds us that in Islam, we accept what’s revealed and avoid speculation about what isn’t.
