Al-ʿAwfī (1) narrated on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās regarding the Divine statement, “And We raised him to a lofty station” (Maryam 19:57), that Idrīs was raised to the sixth heaven, where he died; al-Ḍaḥḥāk expressed the same view. The sound, agreed-upon ḥadīth that places him in the fourth heaven is more authentic, and this is also the position of Mujāhid and numerous other scholars.

Al-Ḥasan al-Baṣrī said about the verse, “And We raised him to a lofty station,” that he was raised to Paradise.

Some held that he was taken up during the lifetime of his father Yard ibn Mahalalel—Allah knows best.

Others have alleged that Idrīs lived not before Noah but rather in the era of the Children of Israel.

Al-Bukhārī (2) stated: It is reported from Ibn Masʿūd and Ibn ʿAbbās that Elijah (Ilyās) is Idrīs. They adduce as supporting evidence the ḥadīth transmitted by al-Zuhrī from Anas concerning the Night Journey, in which, when the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—passed by him, he said: “Welcome, righteous brother and righteous Prophet,” whereas Adam and Abraham had said: “Welcome, righteous son and righteous Prophet.” They argued that had Idrīs been one of his forefathers, he would have addressed him as they did.

Yet this reasoning is not conclusive. The narrator may simply have failed to preserve the exact wording, or the Prophet—peace and blessings be upon him—may have spoken thus out of humility and self-effacement, without adopting the paternal stance he assumed toward Adam, the father of humanity, and Abraham, the Friend of the All-Merciful and, after Muhammad, the greatest of the resolute messengers. May Allah’s blessings and peace be upon them all.