The Story of Prophet Idris Rises To Heaven

Prophet Idris aih Alaihissalam
Prophet Idris aih Peace be upon him is a prophet whom Allah praises for the perfect nature of justification, has perfect knowledge, firm belief, and many good deeds. Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala also raised his name to all corners of nature, and Allah lifted his position among beings close to Him sallallaahu ahu alaihi wa sallam. Such is the comment of Syaikh As-Sa'di in interpreting Surat Maryam: 56-57.

In the Qur'an and the Sunnah it is not too long a story of the Prophet Idris aih alaihissalam. In the Koran there are only three verses which mention directly about it. Among them,

وَاذْكُرْ فِي الْكِتَابِ إِدْرِيسَ إِنَّهُ كَانَ صِدِّيقًا نَّبِيًّا {56} وَرَفَعْنَاهُ مَكَانًا عَلِيًّا {57}

"And remember in the Book of the Prophet Idris. He is a very justified person, again a Prophet. "(Surah Maryam: 56-57)

Mujahid explained about the verse that the Prophet Idris aih alaihissalam was appointed to heaven in a state of not dying like the Prophet Isa ‘alaihissalam (Tafsir Ath-Thabari, 72:16 with a sanad that is saheeh). There is another history which explains that he was appointed an angel to heaven, then came the angel of death taking his life there, wallahu a'lam.

Prophet Idris aih alaihissalam met the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam in the fourth heaven at the time of mi'raj. This shows that Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala placed his position in a high degree among the other prophets. The Word of Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala in another verse,

وَإِسْمَاعِيلَ وَإِدْرِيسَ وَذَا الْكِفْلِ كَلٌّ مِّنَ الصَّابِرِينَ

"And Prophet Ismail, Prophet Idris, Prophet Dzulkifli, they are among those who are patient." (QS. Al-Anbiya: 85)

Likewise, the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam mentioned in the hadith something that hinted at the nature of the Prophet Idris aih alaihissalam. He said:

"It is a prophet from the prophets who draw the fate, then whoever is able to do it (with the knowledge that is certain and compatible), then it is permissible for him." (Narrated by Muslim)

Some scholars say that the prophet in question (in the hadith above) is Prophet Idris ‘alaihissalam. Imam Nawawi explained about this hadith, "The real purpose of destiny is unlawful, because it is not done except with the condition that it must be with definite and appropriate knowledge, and it is not available to us. As for the Prophet sallallaahu aih alaihi wa sallam did not mention the law, so as not to misinterpret that what the prophet did was haram, because indeed the prophet had his knowledge so that he could do it. As for we have no knowledge about it. "(Muslim Sharon, 5:21)

When is the Life of Prophet Idris aih Alaihissalam?
There is a fundamental difference about the history of the Prophet Idris aih alaihissalam, is he a prophet who lived before Noah ‘alaihissalam or afterwards? Historians such as Ibn Kathir, Ath-Tabari, Ibn Ishaq, Ibn Jarir, Ash-Syaukani, As-Suyuthi, and others explained that Prophet Idris aih alaihissalam lived before Noah ‘alaihissalam. Their reasons:

1. Judging from the nasab that the Prophet Idris's real name is Khonukh which belongs to the ancestors of Noah aih alaihissalam.

2. Interpretation of verses:

أولئك الذين أنعم الله عليهم من النبيين من ذرية ءادم وممن حملنا مع نوح ومن ذرية إبراهيم وإسراءيل وممن هدينا واجتبينا إذا تتلى عليهم ءايات الرحمن خروا سجدا وبكيا

"These are the people whom Allah has favored, namely among the prophets of the descendants of Adam, and of those whom We adopted with Noah from the descendants of Ibrahim and Israel, and from those whom We gave instructions and We have chosen. When the verses of the Most Gracious Allah are read to them, they think by prostrating and crying. "(Surah Maryam: 58)

The meaning (من ذرية آدم) is the prophet Idris aih alaihissalam. Because in that verse it is sorted about the genealogy of the offspring. And Prophet Idris aih alaihissalam including the descendants of Prophet Adam ‘alaihissalam who were not with Noah‘ alaihissalam in a boat. Means Prophet Idris "Peace be upon him in his order before Noah" Peace be upon him.

3. Imam an-Nawawi said, "The words of Prophet Idris (مرحبا بالنبي الصالح والأخ الصالح)) did not prevent that the existence of Prophet Idris 'Peace be upon him as the father of our prophet Muhammad sallallaahu' alaihi wa sallam, because the words" brother who is pious "contain the meaning that it is a soft and civilized language, where you use lafaz even though he is his son because the prophets are all brothers, so also the believers are all brothers. "(Syarh Muslim, 2: 220).

As for other scholars, such as Al-Qurthubi, Muhammad bin Abdul Wahab, Ibn Uthaymeen, and others stated that the Prophet Idris aih alaihissalam lived after Noah aih alaihissalam. They reasoned:

1. Human words to Noah aih alaihissalam when asking for syafa’at:

"O Noah ...! You are the first apostle that God sent for the inhabitants of the earth. "

Here it is clear that there were no apostles before Noah. So if the Prophet Idris was an apostle, then he could not have lived before Noah.

2. QS interpretation. An-Nisa: 163. Here the prophets are sorted after Noah aih alaihissalam, including Prophet Idris ‘alaihissalam, meaning the time after Noah‘ alaihissalam.

3. Sayings of Imam Al-Bukhari in his Saheeh that Prophet Idris ‘alaihissalam is the Prophet Ilyas‘ alaihissalam. And it is well known that the Prophet Ilyas aih alaihiss experienced his life after Noah.

4. Sayings of the Prophet Idris aih alaihissalam himself when meeting the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam in the fourth heaven (in the event mi'raj) (مرحبا بالنبي الصالح والأخ الصالح) (" Welcome to the pious Prophet and pious brother! "). if Prophet Idris aih alaihissalam live before Noah ‘alaihissalam. Of course he will say: (مرحبا بالنبي الصالح والأخ الصالح) ("Welcome O pious Prophet and pious child!") As the Prophet Adam and Prophet Ibrahim ‘alaihissalam said.

There are more impartial opinions, including:

1. Ibn Hajar said, "Understanding that Noah as the first apostle was related to the inhabitants of the earth. Because in the time of Prophet Adam there were no inhabitants on this earth but only his family, so the apostleship of Prophet Adam was like an education for his children. It also implies that the apostleship of Noah was for his children and besides that it had spread in several regions. As for the Prophet Adam, his apostolate was only limited to his children and they were in one area only. As for the Prophet Idris there was a problem, because its existence before or after Noah was disputed. "(Fathul Bari, 6: 418)

2. Al-Qadhi Iyadh said, "If the Prophet Idris was the Prophet Ilyas of the Children of Israel then it means he lived after Noah, so it is true that Noah was the first prophet and apostle and Prophet Idris was also a prophet and apostle. As for the Prophet Adam and his son Syith, even though he was an apostle, but only limited to his children and his family; considering that at that time there were no infidels. Both teach faith and obey Allah Ta'ala. Another thing with Noah, he was sent to unbelievers who had begun to exist on earth. And this is perhaps the closest candidate that the Prophet Adam and Idris "Peace be upon him both are not an apostle but are both prophets." (Syarh Muslim by Imam an-Nawawi, 3:55)