Surah 19. Maryam, Ayah 56

The majority of the classical commentators identify the Prophet Idris - who is mentioned in the Qur'an once again, namely in 21:85 - with the Biblical Enoch (Genesis v, 18-19 and 21-24), without, however, being able to adduce any authority for this purely conjectural identification. Some modern Qur'an-commentators suggest that the name Idris may be the Arabicized form of Osiris (which, in its turn, was the ancient Greek version of the Egyptian name As-ar or Us-ar), said to have been a wise king and/or prophet whom the Egyptians subsequently deified (cf. Maraghi XVI, 64, and Sayyid Qutb, Fi Zilal al-Qur'an, Cairo, n.d., vol. XVI,44); but this assumption is too far-fetched to deserve any serious consideration. Finally, some of the earliest Qur'an-commentators ('Abd Allah ibn Mas'ud, Qatadah, 'Ikrimah and Ad-Dahhak) assert - with, to my mind, great plausibility-that ''Idris'' is but another name for Ilyas, the Biblical Elijah (regarding whom see note [48] on {37: 123}).

Idris is mentioned twice in the Qur-an, viz.; here and in xxi. 85, where he is mentioned among those who patiently persevered. His identification with the Biblical Enoch, who "walked with God" (Gen. v. 21-24), may or may not be correct. Nor are we justified in interpreting verse 57 here as meaning the same thing as in Gen. v. 24 ("God took him"), that he was taken up without passing through the portals of death. All we are told is that he was a man of truth and sincerity, and a prophet, and that he had a high position among his people. It is this point which brings him in the series of men just mentioned; he kept himself in touch with his people, and was honoured among them. Spiritual progress need not cut us off from our people, for we have to help and guide them. He kept to truth and piety in the highest station.