Ashabul Kahfi: Prophet Idris and Socrates: A Comparative Perspective

Introduction

Prophet Idris (peace be upon him) is one of the earliest prophets mentioned in Islamic tradition. Known in the Bible as Enoch, he is described as a righteous man, a prophet, and the first to write with a pen. In Islamic tradition, he holds a special place as a wise man and a pioneer of knowledge.

Socrates, on the other hand, is one of the greatest philosophers of ancient Greece. He lived in Athens in the 5th century BCE and is widely considered the “Father of Western Philosophy.” His method of inquiry — the Socratic method — remains influential to this day.

Some alternative theories or esoteric thinkers have speculated connections between Idris and Socrates, suggesting that they may have been the same person, or that Socrates represents a Greek echo of the same archetypal figure of wisdom embodied by Idris. While this is not a mainstream historical or theological position, it remains an interesting point of comparative discussion.

Who Was Prophet Idris?

Name: Idris (peace be upon him)
Other Name: Enoch (in the Bible)
Mention in the Qur’an: He is mentioned twice:

“And mention Idris in the Book; surely he was a truthful man, a Prophet.” (Qur’an, 19:56)
“And We raised him to a high station.” (Qur’an, 19:57)

Muslim scholars say Idris was born generations after Prophet Adam and lived among the descendants of Qabil (Cain) and Shith (Seth). He was known for his profound knowledge of astronomy, writing, mathematics, and tailoring — he is often credited as the first to sew clothes.

Who Was Socrates?

Name: Socrates
Lifespan: Circa 470–399 BCE
Role: Greek philosopher in Athens
Contribution: Socratic Method (questioning to stimulate critical thinking), mentor to Plato

Unlike Idris, Socrates did not write any books. His teachings were passed down through his students, mainly Plato and Xenophon. Socrates emphasized ethics, virtue, and the examined life: “An unexamined life is not worth living.”

Where Does the Theory Connect Them?

Some mystical or comparative historians claim that:

Socrates represents a philosophical echo of an ancient figure of wisdom — which in Islamic belief is Idris.
Idris was so wise that his teachings spread far and wide, and his legacy inspired wise men in other civilizations.
Some Sufi scholars and esoteric thinkers have seen all great teachers of wisdom as linked through a single chain of divine knowledge.

This idea is not a mainstream Islamic belief. There is no direct historical evidence that Prophet Idris and Socrates were the same person. They lived in entirely different eras and regions: Idris lived thousands of years before Socrates according to Islamic and Biblical timelines.

However, the symbolic link is that both represent the archetype of wisdom, truth-seeking, and questioning ignorance.

Idris in Various Traditions

In addition to Islam:

In the Bible, Enoch “walked with God” and was “taken up to Heaven without dying.”
In Jewish mysticism (Kabbalah), Enoch became the angel Metatron.
In Gnostic and Hermetic traditions, Enoch/Idris is associated with Hermes Trismegistus — the master of hidden knowledge.

Some historians link Hermes Trismegistus (Greek-Egyptian figure) with Idris, and then connect Hermes’ wisdom with Greek philosophers like Socrates and Plato. Thus, the line is: Idris → Hermes Trismegistus → Greek philosophers.

What Does Islam Say?

Islam recognizes Idris as a real, divinely appointed Prophet. He was not Greek, nor did he teach Greek philosophy. The Qur’an does not mention any link to Socrates or Greek thought.

However, Islam does encourage believers to seek knowledge wherever it is found. Socrates’ ideas about questioning assumptions and seeking truth resonate with Islamic principles of reflection (tafakkur) and wisdom (hikmah).

Is There a Hidden Message?

From a symbolic perspective, the comparison between Idris and Socrates reminds us that:

Wisdom is timeless.
Prophets and true philosophers seek to guide people from ignorance to truth.
Humanity shares universal ideals: truth, justice, self-knowledge.

Conclusion

There is no historical evidence that Prophet Idris and Socrates were the same person. They represent different epochs and traditions. However, comparing them highlights the universal human respect for wisdom, knowledge, and moral integrity.

In Islam, Idris (peace be upon him) remains an honored Prophet, and Socrates is seen by some Muslim scholars as a wise seeker of truth whose insights can be appreciated within the bounds of Islamic wisdom.

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