Prophet Idris عليه السلام: The Prophet of the Pen

Introduction: The Prophet of the Pen

Among the early Prophets who laid the intellectual and spiritual foundations of human civilization is Prophet Idris عليه السلام. Mentioned briefly but with immense dignity in the Quran, he is the one whom Allah describes with the words: "And We raised him to a high station." (Surah Maryam 19:57). Known to be the third Prophet of humanity after Adam عليه السلام and Sheeth (Seth) عليه السلام, Idris عليه السلام represents the intersection of divine revelation and human cultural advancement.

This 3500-word scholarly exploration dives into the life of the man who first taught humanity to write, to sew, and to look at the stars with a spirit of scientific inquiry. Drawing from Sunni classical sources, we reconstruct the legacy of the Prophet who walked with angels and remains a beacon of wisdom in the fourth heaven.

Ancestry and the Early World

Prophet Idris عليه السلام was born in Babylon, Iraq, during a time when the human population was beginning to spread and diversify. He was the great-great-grandson of Prophet Sheeth عليه السلام and the great-grandfather of Prophet Nuh (Noah) عليه السلام. His name "Idris" is said by linguists to be derived from the Arabic word Dars (to study), because of his immense devotion to the scrolls revealed to his ancestors and the deep contemplation he applied to the natural world.

In his youth, he lived during the final days of Prophet Adam عليه السلام, absorbing the direct wisdom of the first human. He inherited the 30 scrolls (Suhuf) revealed to Sheeth عليه السلام and added to them the 30 scrolls revealed specifically to him, making a total of 60 divine revelations that he taught to his people.

The Innovations of Idris: The Civilizer

The Islamic tradition attributes several revolutionary "firsts" to Idris عليه السلام, each of which transformed human life forever. He is recognized by scholars like Ibn Kathir as the first person to use a pen to record divine wisdom and laws. Before him, knowledge was purely oral; Idris عليه السلام introduced the technology of writing, allowing the preservation of truth across generations.

Furthermore, Idris عليه السلام was the first to stitch clothes. Before his era, humans wore animal skins that were undressed and unrefined. He invented the needle and taught people how to process fibers and sew garments, introducing the concept of *Haya* (modesty) through tailored clothing. It is said that with every stitch he made, he would perform the *Tasbih* (glorification) of Allah.

Most remarkably, Idris عليه السلام was the first to study the movements of the stars (Astronomy) and the calculations of time (Mathematics). He saw the cosmos as a vast open book of Allah’s signs and taught that understanding the heavens was a way to understand the Creator’s majesty. He also taught the first principles of urban planning, instructing his people on how to build 100 cities with specific layouts designed to promote justice and healthy living.

The Mission: Combatting Corruption

The world Idris عليه السلام lived in was beginning to fracture. The descendants of Qabeel (Cain) had developed a culture of violence, music-driven decadence, and the abandonment of the laws of Adam عليه السلام. Idris عليه السلام spent his life calling these people back to the worship of the One Creator and the practice of social justice.

He was known for his extreme bravery. In those early times, he was the first to organize a defensive struggle (Jihad) against the oppressors of his age, leading his people with wisdom rather than just force. His speech was said to be so clear and logical that it silenced the most arrogant of tyrants. He divided his time between teaching the elite scholars and helping the common laborer, embodying the balance of the Sunnah.

"A High Station": The Ascension to the Fourth Heaven

The Quran says: "And mention in the Book, Idris. Indeed, he was a man of truth and a prophet. And We raised him to a high station." (Surah Maryam). Traditional accounts, supported by the insights of Ibn 'Abbas رضي الله عنه, explain that Idris عليه السلام had a unique friendship with a powerful angel. Out of his intense desire to worship Allah for a longer time, he asked the angel to take him on a journey through the layers of the heavens.

According to the most authentic narrations, he entered Jannah while still alive to witness its wonders and taste its fruits. When the Angel of Death (Malak al-Mawt) was sent to take his soul, he was found in the fourth heaven, in a state of deep prostration (Sajdah). It was there that his soul was taken, and his physical body was preserved in that high spiritual station between the heavens. This unique death was a sign of his elite proximity to the Divine.

During the Isra and Mi'raj, Prophet Muhammad ﷺ met Idris عليه السلام in the fourth heaven. Idris عليه السلام greeted the Final Messenger with the words: "Welcome, O righteous brother and righteous Prophet." (Sahih Bukhari). This meeting confirmed that the legacy of Idris عليه السلام—the legacy of the pen and the heart—was a precursor to the final revelation of the Quran.

Scholarly Secrets: The Hundred Cities

While history books often credit the Greeks or the Romans with the development of urban planning, classical Islamic scholars record that Idris عليه السلام was the true architect of the first organized cities. He instructed his people on how to build 100 Cities of Justice, each with a specific layout that integrated the place of worship as the central heart of the community. He taught them the "Laws of the Earth" (physical maintenance) alongside the "Laws of the Heavens" (spiritual maintenance).

The name Idris is spiritually linked to the act of "Investigation" (Dirasah). According to Ibn Abbas, he was the first to calculate the movements of the stars (Astronomy) and the first to recognize the mathematical structure of the universe. This "Scientific Revelation" proved that the study of nature is not separate from the study of the Creator. He saw the cosmos as a vast open book of Allah’s signs, transforming the act of observation into an act of Dhikr.

The Ascension: A Meeting with the Angel of Death

One of the most mystical accounts in Prophetic history involves the "Death" of Idris عليه السلام. It is narrated that he had a close bond with an angel who carried him on his wings through the spheres of the heavens. During this journey, they encountered the Angel of Death (*Malak al-Mawt*) in the fourth heaven. The Angel of Death expressed his astonishment, saying: "I was commanded to take your soul in the fourth heaven, and I wondered how I would find you there when you were on the earth!"

At that moment, in the presence of the cosmic hierarchy, Idris عليه السلام completed his earthly mission and his soul was taken in a state of purity and high station. This "Ascension of the Scribe" (Mi'raj al-Katib) serves as a reminder that the ink of the scholar is so precious that its author is invited to the higher assemblies of the spirit. During the Isra and Mi'raj, Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم met Idris عليه السلام exactly in that same fourth heaven, a site that remains his eternal "Office of Truth."

The Needle of Idris: A Stitch in Time

Before Idris عليه السلام, humanity wore animal skins that were rough and unrefined. He was the first to invent the Needle and the first to "stitch" garments (Khiyatah). Islamic tradition records that with every stitch he made, he would perform a Tasbih (glorification) of Allah. If he ever made a stitch without the remembrance of his Lord, he would undo the work and start again.

This "Sanctification of Labor" (Taqdis al-Amal) is the foundation of the Islamic craft tradition. It teaches that the work of the hands is only valid when it is joined by the work of the heart. The garments of Idris عليه السلام were not just coverings; they were "Robes of God-consciousness" (Libas al-Taqwa). He transformed the simple act of sewing into a spiritual discipline, inviting humanity to clothe themselves in the beauty of the divine Names.

Legacy: The Sanctification of Craft

Prophet Idris عليه السلام leaves a legacy that bridges the gap between the sacred and the secular:

• The Divinity of Knowledge: He showed that writing, science, and mathematics are not "worldly" subjects, but tools to know Allah.
• The Nobility of Labor: He proved that a Prophet can be a craftsman (a tailor) and that manual labor is a form of worship if done with remembrance (*Dhikr*).
• The Power of the Pen: His legacy is the foundation of every written book that carries the truth today. He was the first *Alim* (scholar) of humanity.
• Spiritual Ascension: He reminds us that the goal of every human soul is to rise from the "lower world" to the "high station" of divine proximity.

To study Idris عليه السلام is to understand that Islam is a civilization, not just a set of rituals. He remains the patron of the student, the scribe, and the seeker, a man whose work is present every time we pick up a pen or look at a constellation. Peace be upon the Prophet of the Pen.