Idris

Who is Idris?

Idris‘ is an ancient prophet mentioned in the Qur'an. He is described in the Qur'an as "trustworthy" and "patient" and the Qur'an also says that he was "exalted to a high station", which has generally been understood in Islamic tradition to mean that he ascended into Heaven without dying. Because of this and other parallels, traditionally Idris has been identified with the Biblical Enoch, and therefore Islamic tradition usually places Idris in the early Generations of Adam, and considers him one of the oldest prophets mentioned in the Qur'an, placing him sometime between Adam and Noah. Idris' unique status inspired many future traditions and stories surrounding him in Islamic lore.

According to hadith, narrated by Malik ibn Anas and found in Sahih Muslim, it is said that on Muhammad's Night Journey, he encountered Idris in the fourth heaven. The traditions that have developed around the figure of Idris have given him the scope of a prophet as well as a philosopher and mystic, and many later Muslim mystics, or Sufis, including Ruzbihan Baqli and Ibn Arabi, also mentioned having encountered Idris in their spiritual visions.