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Idris (AS) “Enoch” – Part 1:
It is said that Idris (AS) was the first human to write.
(Isr.) So you see, the first to write was not a philosopher or a
scientist; he was actually one of our Prophets. Remember we are always trying
to contemplate on what can be learned from each part of the history of the
Prophets. When reading that Idris (AS) was the first to write, one
wonders why there is always this notion that worldly knowledge and success have
nothing to do with religion. We tend to believe that it is hard to be both
successful in your worldly life and yet also religious; and it is as if a
person needs to choose between being knowledgeable and successful in his/her
worldly life and being religious. This notion is completely wrong. In fact, the
truth is that worldly knowledge and religion are very much related and
compliment each other. The word ilm (knowledge) is mentioned in the
Qur’an 80 times while its derivatives are mentioned hundreds of times. It is
actually one of the most frequently mentioned words in the Qur’an. I hope that
the youth will understand this strong link between the knowledge of this life
and religion and become determined to be successful in their lives. Many
parents become very worried when their children become religious because they
fear that they will not care any more about their success at work or studies.
Where did this concept originate? Unfortunately, it came from the practice of
present-day Muslims. Moreover, Islam needs successful people and not losers.
Muslim students are not supposed to be studying just to pass an exam, but
rather to be successful in their lives because that is what Allah orders them
to be. Therefore, they would never cheat in exams since their goal is
essentially to gain more knowledge and not merely pass exams because their
religion emphasizes the concept of seeking knowledge [while being honest and
trustworthy].
The emphasis on acquiring
knowledge can be seen in the verse that says what can be translated as, “And
He taught Adam all the names (of everything)…” (TMQ, 1:31),
and in the fact that Idris (AS) was the first to write, and that the
first verse revealed to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was, “Read! In the
Name of your Lord Who has created (all that exists)” (TMQ, 96:19). Moreover, the phrase ulu al-albab (people of understanding)
was mentioned 16 times in the Qur’an. Words derived from al-Aql “mind,
reason” and Tafkeer “contemplation” were mentioned 49 times. Words like
“thought”, “thinking” and so on were mentioned 18 times. When we read the
Qur’an, we find words like: Afalaa Yatadhakaroon (don’t they remember?)
and Afalaa yandhuroon (don’t they look around?). Where else can
you find such calls for the freedom of thought? The word hikma
(wisdom) was mentioned 20 times, the word burhan (proof) 8 times and
there are 102 Hadith instructing us to seek knowledge.
Despite all of this, the
present Islamic Ummah (Islamic nations and states) are under-developed
in all areas of knowledge. It is quite ironic that the only nations ordered [by
Allah] to seek knowledge are in such a state and it is difficult to grasp that
those are the followers of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)
recognized the importance of knowledge 1400 years ago. After the battle of Badr
(the first major battle in Islam), 70 captives of the disbelievers were taken
by the Muslims. At the time, food in Madinah was very scarce, people suffered
from hunger and money was short. Nevertheless, the Prophet (PBUH)
believed that knowledge was more important than food. What the Prophet (PBUH)
did was to ask every captive from the disbelievers to teach ten Muslim youth to
read and write as his ransom! The Prophet (PBUH), although being
illiterate, was truly the teacher of humanity. This is the same Prophet (PBUH)
whose instructions if followed—some people nowadays believe—will cause us to go
back in time 1400 years. Not only did the Prophet (PBUH) do that in the
case of the war captives; moreover, he asked Shefaa bint Abdullah to teach
Hafsa, his wife, to write. Can you see the misconception people have about
women’s education? In one of the verses in the Qur’an, Allah swears by a tool
that is very small, yet very effective: the pen, “Nûn. By the pen and
by what they (the angels) write…”( TMQ, 68:1-2). Actually, the fact that
Idris was the first to write should encourage researchers to put more effort
into their work because they must understand that they are doing it for the
sake of Islam. The same applies for students, employees, manufacturers and all
factions of society that have a role in developing a country.
Every one of us must be
able to link all his daily activities to our religion. Never limit your
understanding of religion to your behavior in the mosque, only. It is very
disturbing to see how people seem touched with lectures while in the mosques
and, the instant it is over, you find two people fighting about who will get
through the exit first, or a young girl sitting while an elderly lady is
standing next to her, trying to find a seat. There is a separation in peoples’
minds between religion and life that must be eliminated. Religion is worshiping
Allah in all activities of life, which includes being ethical, having good
manners, being successful, dressing properly, etc.
Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)
was the first among the Arabs to make a census. He even used the same term we
use nowadays—Ihsa (compiling statistics). The Prophet asked the
companions to count the number of Muslims in Madinah and, in another
case, he asked them to count the number of people with arms before the battle
of Badr and the Companions counted 1500 men. Try to comprehend the teachings of
the Prophet (PBUH). The Prophet (PBUH) was also the first to
emphasize the importance of learning foreign languages. One day, the Prophet (PBUH)
asked Zaid Ibn-Thabet (one of his Companions) to learn Hebrew and master the
language. Zaid came back after 18 days and confirmed that he had mastered the
language including reading and writing, so the Prophet (PBUH) asked him
to write letters to the Jews. He mastered the language in only 18 days! Some
people spend years studying a language and yet never master it. Our religion is
truly full of treasures we know nothing about.
It is said that Idris (AS)
was born in Egypt and that he was sent as a Prophet to address the ancient
Egyptians. Actually there is no proof for this from either the Qur’an or the
Sunnah. Nevertheless, we have evidence of such information from two sources.
The first source is the Isra’iliyat (Jewish traditions) all of which
mention that he was born and lived in Egypt. The other source is the texts of
ancient Egyptians that stated that there was a Prophet in the early history of
mankind who came from Egypt, was sent to the Egyptians, and then ascended to
the heavens. In one verse of the Qur’an
Allah says what can be translated as, “And mention in the Book (the Qur’an)
Idrîs (Enoch). Verily he was a man of truth, (and) a Prophet. And We
raised him to a high station” (TMQ, 19:56,57). Some scientists say that it
is impossible for ancient Egyptians to have thought of the idea of space travel
had there not been some sort of precedence which could have been the fact that
Idris (AS) was raised to the heavens.
Prophet Idris (AS)
was only mentioned in the Qur’an in Surat Maryam. He was also mentioned by
Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) when he was talking about al-Isra’ wa
al-Ma’raj (the ascending of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) to the heavens
and his travel to the Aqsaa mosque in Palestine). The Prophet (PBUH)
said that he met Prophet Idris (AS) in the fourth [level of]
heaven and was warmly welcomed by him. Look at how strong the relationships are
between the Prophets.
Now let us think about the
meaning of the verse that states that Idris (AS) was raised to a high
station. “…And We raised him to a high station.” (TMQ, 19:56-57) Have
you ever wondered where you will be on the Day of Judgment? Do you think you
will be in a high level of Paradise, or in a middle level or in the lowest
level? Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) tells us that the distance between
two levels in Paradise is like the difference between Earth and the farthest
star we can see. Imagine yourself on one level while seeing one of your friends
on a higher level. You would regret not being with him or her. You would blame
yourself for not starting to pray in the mosque a year earlier than you did.
You would blame yourself for not wearing the hijab earlier. Right now we
are all seem to be on a similar level, yet in Paradise this will not be the
case. Do you have the ambition and hope of being in the highest levels of
Paradise? Do you long for Al-Firdaws, the highest level in Paradise and
the place from where all the rivers of Paradise stem? It is the place where the
Prophets and martyrs reside. Its ceiling is the throne of Allah. Allah says in
the Qur’an what can be translated as, “and for this let (all) those strive
who want to strive (i.e. hasten earnestly to the obedience of Allah)” (TMQ,
83:26).
This is the story of
Prophet Idris (AS), the first human to travel to space. (Isr.) We
do not know how he ascended; we only know that he was the first human to do so.
Thus, Prophets are the real pioneers in this field and not today’s astronauts.
Which reminds us of an important implication; that we should develop as much as
we can and acquire knowledge as much as we can, but we will never surpass the
knowledge of Allah, the All-Knowing. The first human to travel to space was
Idris (AS), who was God’s Prophet, the second was also a Prophet,
Prophet Isa (AS), and the third was Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
Finally, I would like to emphasize that Prophets pioneered
in many fields of life. They were the first to seek knowledge of life, the
first ever to write and the first to travel to outer space. Hold on to your
religion, understand it properly and you will succeed in Dunya and Akhira.
With proper understanding and practice of this religion you can truly lead the
world.
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