Idris (peace be upon him)
The name of the prophet Idris (peace be upon him) is mentioned in the Quran, where Allah Almighty says, "And mention in the Book, Idris. Indeed, he was a man of truth and a prophet." (Maryam: 56\).
He
is the great-grandfather of Prophet Noah (peace be upon him). Thirty scriptures
were revealed to him, and he called people to the worship of one God. He
believed in Allah, and a thousand people believed in him. He was among the
patient prophets. He was the first to write with a pen, the first to sew
clothes and wear them, and the first to study the science of stars and their
movements.
Biography of Prophet Idris (peace be upon him)
Idris
(peace be upon him) is one of the honorable messengers whom Allah Almighty
mentioned in His Noble Book. He is mentioned in several places in the Quran.
Believing in his prophethood and message is obligatory, as the Quran mentions
his name, speaks about his character, and describes him as a prophet.
Lineage of Prophet Idris (peace be upon him
His name is Idris ibn Yard ibn Mahla'il, and his lineage goes back to
Seth (peace be upon him), the son of Adam (peace be upon him). His name in
Hebrew is "Hanokh," and in Arabic translation, it is
"Ahnooh." He is one of the ancestors of Prophet Noah (peace be upon
him). He was the first of Adam's descendants to receive prophethood after Adam
and Seth. Ibn Ishaq mentioned that he was the first to write with a pen. He
lived during the time of Adam for 308 years, as Adam lived for a long period of
about 1,000 years.
Life of Prophet Idris (peace be upon him)
Scholars have different opinions about his birth and upbringing. Some say Idris was born in Babylon, while others say he was born in Egypt. The correct opinion is the first one. From an early age, he acquired knowledge from Seth, the son of Adam. When he reached maturity, Allah bestowed prophethood upon him. He commanded the people not to deviate from the laws of Adam and Seth. Only a few obeyed him, while the majority opposed him. Idris decided to separate from them and ordered those who obeyed him to leave their homeland.
They said, "Where can we
find a place like Babylon?" He replied, "If we migrate, Allah will
provide for us elsewhere." So they left, and their journey continued until
they reached the land of Egypt. When they saw the Nile, Idris stood by the
river, glorifying Allah. He settled in Egypt and called the people to worship
Allah and adopt noble morals.
Idris
delivered sermons and taught people the religion of Allah, urging them to
worship the Creator and save their souls from punishment in the hereafter
through righteous deeds in this temporary and fleeting world. He emphasized
prayer, fasting, and charity, and he stressed the importance of purity from
impurities and forbade the consumption of intoxicants in any form. He had an
exceptional command of language, reportedly speaking in 72 different tongues of
his time, a skill bestowed upon him by Allah to communicate with different
groups.
He
was the first to establish civil governance and formulated rules for urban
civilization for his people. Each tribe built cities in their own territories,
and during his time, 188 cities were established. He was renowned for his
wisdom, and among his sayings were, "The best part of this world is
regret, and its worst part is remorse." He also said, "The truly
happy person is the one who looks at.