Idrís

First person devoted to philosophy was Idrís/Hermes (also known by other names); Idrís was a Prophet

"In one of His Tablets Bahá'u'lláh wrote: `The first person who devoted himself to philosophy was Ídrís. Thus was he named. Some called him also Hermes. In every tongue he hath a special name. He it is who hath set forth in every branch of philosophy thorough and convincing statements. After him Bálinus derived his knowledge and sciences from the Hermetic Tablets and most of the philosophers who followed him made their philosophical and scientific discoveries from his words and statements...'. In the Qur'án, Súrá 19, verses 57 and 58, is written: `And commemorate Ídrís in the Book; for he was a man of truth, a Prophet; And we uplifted him to a place on high.'"

(Bahá'u'lláh, Tablets of Bahá'u'lláh, p. 148)

As possible Founder of Sabaeanism

• https://bahai-library.com/uhj_sabeans_mary_ufos#s1.1

Praise of

• Qur'án 21:85
• Qur'án 19:57-58

See also

• Public WikiPedia:Idris (prophet) article

Discussion on Idrís as the possible Biblical Enoch

Idrís has been supposed to be the same as the Biblical Enoch because the following passage from Qur'án 19:57-58 (Rodwell's numbering) mentions, as does Genesis 5:24 for Enoch, the Prophet being taken up on high.

"And commemorate Edris20 in "the Book;" for he was a man of truth, a Prophet:"

"And we uplifted him to a place on high.21"

From Rodwell's notes: "21 Comp. Gen. v. 24, and the tract Derek Erez in Midr. Jalkut, c. 42, where Enoch is reckoned among the nine according to other Talmudists, thirteen (Schroeder's Talm. und Rabb. Judenthum)–individuals who were exempted from death and taken straight to Paradise. It should be observed that both here and Sura xxi. 85, Edris is named after Ismael."

There is also the similarity in their name's etymology, according to Rodwell, as the note to the first of the above verses states:

"20 Enoch. Beidhawi derives the name Edris from the Ar. darasa, to search out, with reference to his knowledge of divine mysteries. The Heb. Enoch, in like manner, means initiated."

As Idrís has been supposed, along with Seth of being a Founder of the ancient Sabeaen religion, and Enoch and Seth are close in Biblical genealogies, this could be another justification for identifying them as the same.

Although the Bible indicates Enoch as the great-grand-father of Noah, the following passage from the Qur'án, which is the only reference to Idrís' genealogy in this Book, does not clarify the relationship (particularly since this passage had grouped Ishmael and other Prophets along with Idrís):

"These are they among the prophets of the posterity of Adam, and among those whom we bare with Noah, and among the posterity of Abraham and Israel,..." (19:59)