56 Preface وَاذكُر فِي الكِتابِ إِدريسَ ۚ إِنَّهُ كانَ صِدّيقًا نَبِيًّاYusuf AliAlso mention in the Book the case of Idris:1 He was a man of truth (and sincerity), (and) a prophet: Idris is mentioned twice in the Qur-ān, viz.: here and in 21:85, where he is mentioned among those who patiently preserved. His identification with the Biblical Enoch, who “walked with God” (Gen. 5:21-24), may or may not be correct. Nor are we justified in interpreting verse 57 here as meaning the same thing as in Gen. 5:24 (“God took him”), that he was taken up without passing through the portals of death. All we are told is that he was a man of truth and sincerity, and a prophet, and that he had a high position among his people. It is this point which brings him in the series of men just mentioned: he kept himself in touch with his people, and was honoured among them. Spiritual progress need not cut us off from our people, for we have to help and guide them. He kept to truth and piety in the highest station.