Some prophets fill whole surahs. Idris appears in just four verses. The Qur’an tells us no events from his life, no dialogue and no people he was sent to. What it gives instead is a short portrait of character: truthful, patient, righteous, and honoured by God.
This is day four of our Qur’an Stories series. We read the verses in Arabic on Quran.com, give their meaning in plain English, and follow the explanation of Ibn Kathir. This is a reflection on meaning, not a ruling.
Quick answer
Short answer: The Qur’an says of Idris that “he was utterly truthful, a prophet. And We lifted him to a lofty place” (19:56-57). It also names him with Isma’il and Dhu’l-Kifl: “each of them was among those who endure with patience… they were truly among the righteous” (21:85-86). Scholars differ on what “a lofty place” means; Ibn Kathir reports views including the fourth heaven and Paradise.
Where Idris appears in the Qur’an
Key takeaways
The Qur’an does not tell us when he lived, where, or to whom he was sent. In keeping with this series, we do not fill those gaps.
“Utterly truthful, a prophet”
Surah Maryam brings a run of prophets before the reader, each with a command to remember. For Idris it says (19:56):
وَٱذْكُرْ فِى ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ إِدْرِيسَ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ كَانَ صِدِّيقًا نَّبِيًّا
Meaning: Recall in the Scripture Idris: he was utterly truthful, a prophet.
The Arabic word is siddiq, from sidq, truthfulness. It describes someone whose truth runs through speech, intention and action. Ibn Kathir notes that Allah praised Idris as truthful and a prophet, and told of raising him to a high place (Tafsir Ibn Kathir, 19:56).
“We lifted him to a lofty place”
The next verse is just as short (19:57):
وَرَفَعْنَـٰهُ مَكَانًا عَلِيًّا
Meaning: And We lifted him to a lofty place.
The verse itself does not explain what the lifting was.
| View | Reported from | Note |
|---|---|---|
| The fourth heaven | Mujahid, via Ibn Kathir | Linked to the Night Journey hadith below |
| Paradise | Al-Hasan and others, via Ibn Kathir | Also reported in Ibn Kathir’s tafsir |
Both views are recorded by Ibn Kathir. We present them side by side, as he does, without choosing between them.
The Night Journey hadith
In the hadith of the Isra and Mi’raj, in the fourth heaven the Prophet ﷺ greeted Idris, who said: “Welcome, brother and prophet.” (Sahih al-Bukhari 3207, graded sahih). A narration in Sahih Muslim 162a, also sahih, mentions Idris in the fourth heaven and then quotes 19:57.
“Among those who endure with patience”
Surah al-Anbiya mentions Idris again, this time in a group (21:85-86):
وَإِسْمَـٰعِيلَ وَإِدْرِيسَ وَذَا ٱلْكِفْلِ ۖ كُلٌّ مِّنَ ٱلصَّـٰبِرِينَ
Meaning: And Isma’il, Idris and Dhu’l-Kifl: each of them was among those who endure with patience.
وَأَدْخَلْنَـٰهُمْ فِى رَحْمَتِنَآ ۖ إِنَّهُم مِّنَ ٱلصَّـٰلِحِينَ
Meaning: We brought them into Our mercy; they were truly among the righteous.
The order is worth noticing. Enduring with patience comes first, then being brought into God’s mercy, then the description of righteousness. The verses do not say what each one was patient through.
What we leave out
Many older books add details about Idris: that he was the biblical Enoch, the first to write with a pen or sew clothes, or stories of how he was taken up. Some English translations even render his name in these verses as “Enoch”; the Arabic says Idris, and the link is not established. These details come largely from Isra’iliyyat (reports from earlier traditions) and cannot be confirmed from the Qur’an or sahih hadith. This series does not present them as fact.
Truthfulness and patience together
Read together, the two passages give us a small but complete picture. In Surah Maryam, Idris is utterly truthful. In Surah al-Anbiya, he is among those who endure with patience. Truth without patience can turn harsh, and patience without truth can become mere silence. Together they mark a servant God chose to raise.
Lessons for the traveller of the heart
Four reflections from Idris
1
Be known for truth: the first thing said of him is that he was siddiq, utterly truthful.
2
Hold steady: he is counted among “those who endure with patience.”
3
Seek mercy, not fame: “We brought them into Our mercy.”
4
Let God raise you: the verse says “We lifted him.” Rank is a gift, not a grab.
Tip
For a later, well-documented story of truthfulness, read our post on Ka’b ibn Malik and how telling the truth saved him. A short evening muhasaba is a gentle way to check your own words each day.
FAQ
Where is Prophet Idris mentioned in the Qur’an?
In Surah Maryam, 19:56-57, and Surah al-Anbiya, 21:85-86.
What does “lifted to a lofty place” mean?
The verse does not say. Ibn Kathir reports that Mujahid said it means the fourth heaven and that al-Hasan and others said it means Paradise.
Is Idris the same as Enoch?
The Qur’an does not say so. The link comes from later reports, and it is not confirmed by the Qur’an or sahih hadith.
Last checked: 26 October 2026 (Asia/Riyadh) against Qur’an 19:56-57 and 21:85-86 (Arabic text verified against the Uthmani text on Quran.com; English meanings are our own plain rendering), Tafsir Ibn Kathir (Abridged) for 19:56, Sahih al-Bukhari 3207 and Sahih Muslim 162a. Educational reflection only, not a religious ruling.
