Idris (AS)

The Patient Prophet

Prophet Idris or Enoch was a messenger of Allah and the third Prophet in Islam after Adam (AS). In the two verses in the Quran that mentions Idris (AS), Allah calls him a man of truth and one of the patient.

Prophet Idris (AS) was born during the lifetime of Prophet Adam (AS). He was amongst the followers of Sheeth (AS) and rules the children of Adam (AS) following the death of Sheeth (AS). Idris (AS) was a truthful, patient and extradorinaiy person, it is reported in a hadith by Adu-Dharr that Idris (AS) was the first person to introduce the art of reading and writing to mankind.

After the death of Sheath (AS), the people of Qabil (Cain) lost guidance, this caused sin and corruption to rapidly spread. Idris was not able to bear watching his own people falling prey to the tricks and influence of Shaytaan. So Allah instructed Idris (AS) to call for a holy war against the corrupt followers of Qabil (Cain).

As commanded by Allah, Idris (AS) gathered an army of men and battle in the name of Allah against the corruptors. His army emerged victorious.

One day, Prophet Idris (AS) was told by Allah that he would receive the rewards of all the good deeds performed by man each day till his last breath.

Idris (AS) was overjoyed by the news and thanked Allah for his blessings. Though, Idris (AS) was quite old and he did want to depart earth as he enjoyed spreading good and wanted to get the good deeds of Allah.

Idris (AS) is reported to have an angel friend, nobody knowns who this friend is specifically. He asked this angel to allow to to talk to the Angel of death and plead him to delay his heath. The angel anger and flew Idris (AS) to the fourth heaven to meet with the Angel of death.

The angel told the Angel of death, “Prophet Idris wants to know if you could prolong his life”. The Angel of death was stunned and asked, “And where is Idris?”. The angel responded, “He is upon my back”. The Angel of death replied, “How astonishing! I was sent and told to cease Idris’s soul in the fourth heaven. I kept thinking how I could cease it in the fourth heaven when he was on earth. Subhanallah (glory be to God), He made it happen!”. As Allah has instructed the Angel of death, the soul of Idris (AS) was taken in the fourth heaven.

Following the death of the Prophet Idris (AS), corruption began the spread rapidly again. There was a period where many generations passed without prophetic guidance, the allowed for the emergence of polytheism (shirk).