Our dear Prophet Idrees, may Allah exalt his mention, was mentioned two times in the Noble Quran:

Allah, The Almighty, has praised Idrees, may Allah exalt his mention, described him as being a prophet and truthful saying: {And mention in the Book, Idrees. Indeed, he was a man of truth and a prophet. And We raised him to a high station.} [Quran 19: 56-57]

Muslim scholars held different opinions regarding the "high station". Some said it points to Paradise. Some others said he was raised and did not die as it was done with ‘Eesa (Jesus), may Allah exalt their mention. Ibn Hajar said: "As for the opinion says that Idrees, may Allah exalt his mention, was raised while he is alive, it was not proved from a traceable or strong route." (1).

Some others stated that Prophet Idrees, may Allah exalt his mention, asked one of his close friends among angels to ask the Angel of Death about his lifetime. The angel took him to the fourth heaven on his wings. There he saw the Angel of Death going down. The angel talked and asked him. Upon this the Angel of Death asked him: But where is Idrees? The Angel said: "He is upon my back". The Angel of Death said, “‘How astonishing! I was sent and told to seize his soul in the fourth heaven. I kept thinking how I could seize it in the fourth heaven when he was on the earth? The angel looked down his wings and found that the Angel of Death took away the soul of Idrees while he did not know."

Ibn Katheer, may Allaah have mercy upon him, said after reporting such narration. It is one of Al-Israa’eeliyyaat (reports from Jewish sources) and it implies denunciation and Allah knows best. (2).

Allah, The Almighty, also described him with patience saying (what means): {And [mention] Ishmael and Idrees and Dhul-Kifl; all were of the patient.} [Quran 21: 85]

Ibn Hajar, may Allaah have mercy upon him, said: "Some scholars has a problem in stating that Noah, may Allah exalt his mention, is the first Messnger because of Idrees, may Allah exalt his mention." He then answered this issue that this cannot be regarded true because there are different opinion regarding if he is the grandfather of Noah, may Allah exalt his mention, or not." (3).

Some scholars are of the opinion that Enoch who is the grandfather of Noah is Idrees, may Allah exalt their mention, such as Imam Al-Bukhaari, may Allaah have mercy upon him, where he said in his Saheeh (the Chapter of the reference to Idrees who is the grandfather of the father of Noah and it was also said, it is the grandfather of Noah, may Allah exalt his mention." (4).

Ibn Katheer, may Allaah have mercy upon him, also said: "Allah complimented Idrees, may Allah exalt his mention, for being a truthful prophet and he is Enoch who was one of the ancestors of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, according to what is stated by more than one scholars of genealogy." (5).

Al-Maawardi confirmed this and said: "Enoch ibn Yard is Idrees who was born one hundred and sixty two years from the age of Yard and he is a prophet according to the scholars of all religions." (6).

Ibn Yaymiyyah, may Allaah have mercy upon him, adopted the same opinion saying: "Before him (i.e. Noah, may Allah exalt his mention) there was prophets such as Kasheeth and Idrees." (7).

As for calling him Idrees, some scholars said, due to his much Diraasah (studying) of the books of Allah, The Almighty, and thus his names was derived from such Arabic root words. This is if it was said that he was Arab. It was also said that he was Siryaani.

Ibn Hajar, may Allaah have mercy upon him, said: "This does not prevent that the word Idrees is Arabic if it is proved that he has two names." (8).

It was said that Idrees, may Allah exalt his mention, was the first one who write down with pen, the first one wear clothes for people used to wear leather, the first one who had a weapon, and the first one made the weighing and measures. (9).

This is something reported and narrated from Bani Israa'eel.

On the other hand, some other scholars are of the opinion that Idrees, may Allah exalt his mention, who was stated in the Noble Quran is not one of the grandfathers of Noah, may Allah exalt his mention, but from his children and substantiate their opinion with the upcoming Hadeeth ('You are welcomed, O pious brother and pious Prophet') as Adam and Ibraaheem, may Allah exalt their mention.

They objected that if he was one of the ancestors of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, he, may Allah exalt his mention, would say to him as Adam and Ibraaheem, may Allah exalt their mention, said to him.

The first group answered this saying that this is not a proof because the narrator may not have memorized properly or they may said this to him as a form of showing humbleness and did not express for him the status of fatherhood as Adam, may Allah exalt his mention, who is the father of the humans and Ibraaheem who is the close friend of Allah, The Almighty, did. Thus, this is not a proof on their opinion." (10).

Some other scholars said that Idrees is Ilyaas, may Allah exalt his mention, and thus he was from the offspring of Noah, may Allah exalt his mention." (11).

Location of Idrees, may Allah exalt his mention, on heaven:

Anas ibn Maalik, may Allaah be pleased with him, reported from Maalik ibn Sa‘sa‘ah, may Allaah be pleased with him, that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said in the Hadeeth of Al-Israa' (Night Journey): "Then Jibreel (i.e. Gabriel), may Allah exalt his mention, ascended with me to the fourth heaven and asked for its gate to be opened. It was asked, 'Who is it?' Jibreel replied, 'Jibreel' It was asked, 'Who is accompanying you?' Jibreel replied, 'Muhammad.' It was asked, 'Has he been called?' Jibreel replied in the affirmative. Then it was said, 'He is welcomed, what an excellent visit his is!' The gate was opened, and when I went over the fourth heaven, there I saw Idris. Gabriel said (to me), 'This is Idris; pay him your greetings.' So I greeted him and he returned the greeting to me and said, 'You are welcomed, O pious brother and pious Prophet…" (12).

It was also narrated on the authority of Anas, may Allaah be pleased with him, that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said when he was ascended to the heaven: "Then we came to Idrees in the fourth heaven." (13).

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(1)  Fat-h Al-Baari (5/375).

(2)  Tafseer Ibn Katheer (3/33) and Al-Bidaayah wa An-Nihaayah (1/93).

(3)  Fat-h Al-Baari (6/372).

(4) It was reported by Al-Bukhaari, the book of the Prophets, may Allah exalt his mention. No. (5). 

(5)  Al-Bidaayah wa An-Nihaayah (1/92).

(6)  A‘laam An-Nuboowah by Al-Mawaardi, p. (62).

(7)  An-Nuboowaat by Ibn Taymiyyah (173).

(8)  Fat-h Al-Baari (6/373), A‘laam An-Nuboowah p. (62) and Tafseer Al-Qurtubi (7/58).

(9)  All previous references along with Al-Bidaayah wa An-Nihaayah (1/92).

(10)  Fat-h Al-Baari (6/373) and Al-Bidaayah wa An-Nihaayah (1/93).

(11) It was reported by Al-Bukhaari, the book of the Prophets, may Allah exalt his mention. No. (4) and Fat-h Al-Baari (6/373).

(12) It was reported by Al-Bukhaari No. (3207, 3887, 3393 and 3430) and Muslim No. (164).

(13) It was reported by Al-Bukhaari (7517) and Muslim No. (164).

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