Is the raising mentioned in the verse about Idrees, “And We raised him to a high station”, raising in a literal or symbolic sense?

Idrees (pace be upon him) is one of the
Prophets, whom Allah mentioned in His holy Book, as He says (interpretation
of the meaning): “And mention in the Book (the
Qur’an) Idrees (Enoch).Verily! He was a man of truth, (and) a Prophet. And
We raised him to a high station” [Maryam
19:56-57].
That is: mention by way of respect and honour, and with attributes of
perfection, “Idrees (Enoch).Verily! He was a man of truth, (and) a
Prophet” Allah combined in him truthfulness, which is a high level of
faith, perfect knowledge, steadfast certainty and righteous deeds, with
choosing him to receive His revelation and to receive His message.

End quote from Tafseer as-Sa‘di (p.
496) 

And Allah praised him by saying
(interpretation of the meaning): “And We raised him to a high station”. 

The commentators differed concerning the
interpretation of this verse; there are two opinions: 

1.That what is meant
by raising in this verse is symbolic raising; in other words, We raised him
to a lofty status among people, namely the status of Prophethood which is
the highest status and standing.

Al-Baydaawi (may Allah have mercy on him)
said: “And We raised him to a high station” means: the noble status
of Prophethood and closeness to Allah.

End quote from Anwaar at-Tanzeel wa
Asraar at-Ta’weel (4/22) 

Al-‘Allaamah as-Sa‘di (may Allah have
mercy on him) said: “And We raised him to a high station” means:
Allah raised his reputation among all nations and raised his status among
those who are near to Him, so he was held in high esteem and was given a
high status.

End quote from Tayseer al-Kareem
ar-Rahmaan (p. 496) 

2.That what is meant
by raising in this verse is raising in a literal, real sense.

This is the view of the majority of
commentators, but they differed concerning the place to which he was raised,
and the reason for it and the story behind it. They also differed as to
whether he died: was he raised and his soul taken in death, or was he still
alive? 

Ibn Jareer at-Tabari (may Allah have mercy
on him) said: What is meant is that he was taken up to a high, lofty place.
Some of the scholars said: He was taken up to the sixth heaven. Others said
that it was the fourth heaven.

End quote from Jaami‘ al-Bayaan (18/212) 

Al-Haafiz Ibn katheer (may Allah have
mercy on him) said: Sufyaan said, from Mansoor, from Mujaahid: “And We
raised him to a high station” – he said: He was taken up to the fourth
heaven. 

Al-‘Awfi said, narrating from Ibn ‘Abbaas:
“And We raised him to a high station” – he said: He was taken up to
the sixth heaven and died there. This was also stated by ad-Dahhaak ibn
Muzaahim. 

Al-Hasan and others said concerning the
words “And We raised him to a high station”: (That is,) Paradise. 

End quote from Tafseer al-Qur’an al-‘Azeem
(5/240-241) 

Al-Haafiz Ibn Hajar (may Allah have mercy
on him) said: The idea that Idrees was alive when he was taken up is not
proven in any strong, marfoo‘ report (i.e., it cannot be attributed to the
Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)).

End quote from Fath al-Baari
(6/375) 

What is most likely to be correct is: 

These words are to be understood in the
light of what is mentioned in the hadeeth of Anas (may Allah be pleased with
him) about the Isra’ (Prophet’s night journey) in which it says: “… Then we
were taken up to the fourth heaven. Jibreel (peace be upon him) asked for it
to be opened. It was said: Who is this? He said: Jibreel. It was said: And
who is with you? He said: Muhammad. He said: Has (revelation) been sent to
him? He said: It has been sent to him. So it was opened for us, and I saw
Idrees; he welcomed me and prayed for good for me. Allah, may He be
glorified and exalted, said (interpretation of the meaning): ‘And We
raised him to a high station.’” Narrated by Muslim (259) 

This indicates that he is in the fourth
heaven; that does not contradict the idea of being raised in a symbolic or
metaphorical sense, that resulted from Prophethood. 

Ibn Jizziy described this view as being
more well-known, then he said: The hadeeth makes it more likely to be
correct. 

End quote from al-Tasheel (3/7) 

Al-Haafiz Ibn Katheer said in al-Bidaayah
wa’n-Nihaayah (1/100): Allah, may He be exalted, says: “And We raised
him to a high station”, and it is proven in as-Saheehayn in the
hadeeth about the Isra’, that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of
Allah be upon him) passed by him in the fourth heaven… And the agreed-upon
hadeeth which states that he is in the fourth heaven is more saheeh. End
quote. 

And Allah knows best.