Allah, the Exalted, has mentioned Prophet Idrees (Peace be upon him) in the following verse of the Qur'an:
{ And mention in the Book Idrees [Enoch]! Verily, he was a man of truth and a prophet. And We raised him to a high station } [Qur'an 19:56-57 ]
Allah has praised Idrees (Peace be upon him) in this verse and has described him as a truthful prophet. As many genealogists have confirmed, our Prophet's ancestral line can be traced back to him.
After Adam and Sheeth, he was the first man to be sent as a prophet. Peace be upon all of them.
Ibn Is-hâq has said that he was the first man to write with a pen. He was born while Adam (Peace be upon him) was still alive and he lived with him for three hundred and eight years of his life.
Allah, the Exalted, has specified about him:
{ And We raised him to a high station.} [Qur'an 19: 57]
The explanation of this verse has been mentioned in a hadith reported by Bukhari and Muslim. This hadith concerns the night journey of the Prophet (Blessings and peace be upon him). It says <<The Prophet passed by him in the fourth heaven.>>
Ibn Jareer has reported on the authority of Hilâl ibn Yasâf who said: Ibn 'Abbâs asked Ka'b (may Allah be pleased with them all) in my presence:
" What is the meaning of the verse:
{ And We raised hum to a high station.} [Qur'an 19: 57] ?
Ka'b replied: Allah revealed to Idrees: I will raise for you good deeds equal to the amount of the deeds of all the children of Adam daily.
Perhaps He (The Exalted) was referring to the deeds done in his lifetime only. Idrees (Peace be upon him) wanted to increase his deeds.
When a friend from among the angels visited him, Idrees said to him: Allah has revealed to me such-and-such. Could you please speak to the angel of death (and get my life extended) so I could increase my good deeds?
The angel agreed. It carried him on his wings and went up into the heaven. When they passed by the fourth heaven, they met the angel of death, who was descending. The angel told him what Idrees has said.
The angel of death said: Where is Idrees? He replied: He is upon my back. The angel of death said: How amazing! I was sent to seize his told and was told to meet him in the fourth heaven when he is on the earth? Then he took his soul. That is what is meant in the verse:
{ And We raised hum to a high station.} [Qur'an 19: 57]. "
Ibn Mas'ood and Ibn 'Abbâs (May allah be pleased with him) have said that IIyâs is Idrees.
Their evidence is from the hadith concerning the night journey wherein it is states that: <<When the Prophet (Blessing and peace be upon him) passed by him, he (Adam) said: Welcome to the pious brother and the pious prophet.>> We see that the Prophet (Blessings and peace be upon hum) did not say as Adam (Peace be upon him) and Ibrâheem (Peace be upon him) has said: "Welcome to the pious prophet and pious son."
Ibn Mas'ood and Ibn 'Abbâs (May Allah be pleased with him) conclude that if he were in his lineage, he would have said as they both had said. (Bukhari)
This evidence, however, is not conclusive because it could be that the narrator did not remember it properly, or he may have said that to show his humility and affection. Similarly, there could be other explanations for its invalidity as evidence.
