Islamic view of Enoch

Idris or Idriz (Arabic: إدريس‎), is a prophet of Islam. He is known in the Bible as Enoch.

Prophet Idris(A) in the Qur'an

There are four verses related to Prophet Idris(A) in the Qur'an. These are found as consecutive verses in the surahs Maryam (Mary) and Al-Anbiya (The Prophets).

"And mention Prophet Idris in the Book; surely he was a truthful man, a prophet. And We raised him high in Heaven." (Qur'an 19:56-57)

"And (mention)Ismael- Arabic Ishmael, and Idris, and Dhul-Kifl. All were of the steadfast. And We brought them in unto Our mercy. Lo! they are among the righteous." (Qur'an 21:85-86)

Idris(A) in Hadith

In a hadith Idris(A) is mentioned as one of the earlier prophets that spoke with prophet Muhammed in one of the heavens during Mi'raj.

• Narrated Abbas bin Malik: ... 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.' ... Sahih al-Bukhari 5:58:227

Idris(A) was believed to be a tailor based on this hadith:

• Ibn Abbas said, "Dawud was a maker of coats of mail and shields, Adam was a farmer, Nuh a carpenter, Idris a tailor, and Musa a shepherd." (reported by al-Hakim)^[1]

Idris(A) in Islamic tradition

In Islamic tradition, Enoch is a predecessor prophet before Noah (Arabic: Nuh) (Arabic: نوح‎) (Noah). Idris(A) is credited with learning many useful skills or inventing things which humans now use such as writing, mathematics, astronomy, etc" ^[2]. According to Islamic tradition, his time was one when many people had forgotten God, and the world was thus punished with a drought. However, Enoch prayed for them, and it began to rain, ending the drought.

In Islamic tradition, according to the book The Prophet of God Enoch: Nabiyullah Idris, Idris(A) and Enoch are the same person. He is mentioned in the Qur'an as was preferred by God that he raised Idris(A) to Him (In the Enoch book of the bible preserved by the Ethiopian church, we also read that he was raised up by God). Enoch is said to have come back from heaven in the area of Gizan (current day Giza in Egypt) where he taught people writing, and he described how he saw in his journey the sources of water (i.e. the Snow caps of mountains, especially in the polar areas) and the reasons behind astronomy, he described different skies where he saw imprisoned devils and Jinns tormented by the angels, some of whom are awaiting punishment, and some awaiting release. He is a prominent prophet between Adam and Noah for Muslims.

One non-traditional explanation for the building of the pyramids is that they were built in reverence to him, since it is the area where he was said to have ascended back to heaven.

External links

• Hadhrat Idrees
• The Story of Idrees (Enoch)

Notes