Zoroastrianism in Iran: Difference between revisions

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	] and his first followers are believed to have been the proto-Indo-Iranians that lived between the ] and ] (est. ~~1400~~-~~1200BC~~) <ref name="maryboyce1">] "''Zoroastrians, Their Religious Beliefs and Practices''" pp. 1</ref>. The proto-Indo-Iranians (]) were later divided in to two distinct branches of ] and Indians (]); the Iranian branch migrated to Iran as early as ~~2000~~ BC <ref>{{worldhistory\|quote=The Medes and the Persians, c.1500-559\|section=123}}</ref>.		] and his first followers are believed to have been the proto-Indo-Iranians that lived between the ] and ] (est. 3400-3200 years ago) <ref name="maryboyce1">] "''Zoroastrians, Their Religious Beliefs and Practices''" pp. 1</ref>. The proto-Indo-Iranians (]) were later divided in to two distinct branches of ] and Indians (]); the Iranian branch migrated to Iran as early as 4000 years ago <ref>{{worldhistory\|quote=The Medes and the Persians, c.1500-559\|section=123}}</ref>.

	The time that the Iranian peoples migrated to Iran are mainly estimated through Assyrian records <ref name="maryboyce48">] "''Zoroastrians, Their Religious Beliefs and Practices''" ''Under the Achaemenians'' pp. 48</ref>. Also, ] (I, 101) had recalled one of the ] tribes to be called "Magoi", better known as "]s", a tribe known to have included many priests, who served both ] and ]. By the time of the ] (est. 612 BC), Zoroastrianism is known to have been well established in both ] region (later capital of Persia) as well as in the Eastern regions. <ref name="maryboyce49">] "''Zoroastrians, Their Religious Beliefs and Practices''" pp. 49</ref>		The time that the Iranian peoples migrated to Iran are mainly estimated through Assyrian records <ref name="maryboyce48">] "''Zoroastrians, Their Religious Beliefs and Practices''" ''Under the Achaemenians'' pp. 48</ref>. Also, ] (I, 101) had recalled one of the ] tribes to be called "Magoi", better known as "]s", a tribe known to have included many priests, who served both ] and ]. By the time of the ] (est. 612 BC), Zoroastrianism is known to have been well established in both ] region (later capital of Persia) as well as in the Eastern regions. <ref name="maryboyce49">] "''Zoroastrians, Their Religious Beliefs and Practices''" pp. 49</ref>

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v t e Zoroastrianism
Primary topics	Ahura Mazda Zarathustra Asha Vohu Manah Persia/Iran Faravahar Avestan
Divine entities	Amesha Spentas Yazatas Ahuras Daevas Angra Mainyu
Scripture and worship	Avesta Gathas Ashem Vohu Ahuna Vairya Yenghe hatam Airyaman ishya Fire Temples 101 Names of Ahura Mazda Udvada Atash Behram Adur Burzen-Mihr Adur Farnbag Adur Gushnasp Cypress of Kashmar Yasna Vendidad Visperad Yashts Khordeh Avesta The Revayats Ab-Zohr Atash Behram Magi
Accounts and legends	Dēnkard Bundahišn Book of Arda Viraf Book of Jamasp Story of Sanjan Chinvat Bridge Frashokereti Xrafstar Hamistagan Duzakh
Cities	Balkh Kashmar Yazd
History and culture	Parsis Zurvanism Mazdakism Khurramites Three Persian religions Calendar Festivals Marriage Burial
Adherents	Persecution in Afghanistan in Armenia in Azerbaijan in China in Sichuan in India Irani Parsis in Iran in Iraq in Pakistan in Russia in United States in Uzbekistan
Lists	Fire temples in Iran Fire temples in India
Category

Zoroastrians in Iran have had a long history, being the oldest religious community of that nation to survive to the present-day. Prior to the Muslim Arab invasion and conquest of Persia, Zoroastrianism had been the primary religion of the Persian people.

Since the fall of the Sassanid Zoroastrian empire by the Arab conquest of Persia, Zoroastrians in Iran have faced much religious discrimination including forced conversions, harassments, as well as being identified as najis and impure to Muslims, making them unfit to live alongside Muslims therefore forcing them to evacuate from cities and face major sanctions in all senses.

As of 1986, the Zoroastrian community in Iran was estimated to number 32,000 individuals. , some reports suggest that their population has halved since the Iranian revolution and establishment of the theocratic Islamic Republic in 1979 .

Background

Zoroastar and his first followers are believed to have been the proto-Indo-Iranians that lived between the Stone Age and Bronze Age (est. 3400-3200 years ago) . The proto-Indo-Iranians (Aryans) were later divided in to two distinct branches of Iranian and Indians (Indo-Aryans); the Iranian branch migrated to Iran as early as 4000 years ago .

The time that the Iranian peoples migrated to Iran are mainly estimated through Assyrian records . Also, Herodotus (I, 101) had recalled one of the Mede tribes to be called "Magoi", better known as "Magis", a tribe known to have included many priests, who served both Medes and Persians. By the time of the Median empire (est. 612 BC), Zoroastrianism is known to have been well established in both Pars region (later capital of Persia) as well as in the Eastern regions.

Achaemenid dynasty

Persians led by Cyrus the Great soon established the first Persian empire by defeating the Medes in 549BC. . As Persians expanded their empire, Zoroastrianism was introduced Greek historians such as Hermodorus, Hermippus, Xanthos, Eudoxus and Aristotle; each giving a different date regarding the life of Zoroastar but naturally believed him to be a Persian prophet and called him "Master of the magi"

Although there are no inscriptions left from the time of Cyrus about his religion, the fire-holders found at Pasargadae, as well as the fact that he called his daughter Atossa, name of the queen of Vishtaspa (Zoroastar's royal patron), suggests that he indeed may have been a Zoroastrian.

However, it is clear that by the time of Darius the Great (549 BC– 485/486 BC), the empire was clearly in favour of Zoroastrianism. Darius declares in one of his inscriptions that:

"A great God is Ahuramazda, who created this earth, who created yonder sky, who created man, who created happiness for man, who made Darius king, one king over many, one lord over many"

Persepolis

Main article: Persepolis

File:Persepolis gifts.jpg

Persepolis all nations stair case. Notice the people carrying Norouz gifts for the king

Persepolis (or Parsa) was one of the four capitals of the Achaemenid empire, built by Darius the Great and his son Xerxes, was a glorious city known to the world as the "richest city under the sun".

One of the main functions of Persepolis was to serve as the host of the ancient Zoroastrian festival, Norouz. Therefore, every year representatives from each country under the rule of Persia would bring gifts to Persepolis to show their loyalty to the king and the empire.

Sassanid dynasty

The Sassanid dynasty was the first Persian empire which declared Zoroastrianism as the state religion and promoted the religion more than ever. It is believed that Avesta (a compilation of Zoroastrian sacred texts) was first gathered and put together at this time.

Prophet Mani

Main article: Mani (prophet)

, Manichaeism

The prophet Mani was an Iranian of noble Parthian roots who established Manichaeism which contained many elements of Zoroastrianism as well as Gnosticism, however it saw the experience of life on earth by humans as miserable, which was a contrast to the Zoroastrian view which was to celeberate life through happiness.

Mani was received kindly by king Shapur I and spent many years at his court where he was protected during all of Shabuhr's reign. However Mani wrote in a semitic language and all his work had to be translated in to Middle Persian by his followers, who rendered the name of Mani's supreme god as Zurvan and called him the father of Ohrmazd (Ahuramazda, God of Wisdom, main deity of Zoroastrianism).

Zurvanism

Main article: Zurvanism

Although the origins of Zurvanite Zoroastrianism are unclear, it was during the Sassanid period that it gained widespread acceptance, and many of the Sassanid emperors were at least to some extent Zurvanites. Zurvanism enjoyed royal sanction during the Sassanid era but no traces of it remain beyond the 10th century.

Unlike Mazdean Zoroastrianism, Zurvanism considered Ahura Mazda not the transcendental Creator, but one of two equal-but-opposite divinities under the supremacy of Zurvan. The central Zurvanite belief made Ahura Mazda (Middle Persian: Ohrmuzd) and Angra Mainyu (Ahriman) twin brothers that had co-existed for all time.

Non-Zoroastrian accounts of typically Zurvanite beliefs were the first traces of Zoroastrianism to reach the west, which misled European scholars to conclude that Zoroastrianism was a monist faith.

The Zoroastrian cult of Zurvan should not be confused with the Manichaeism's use of the name Zurvan in Middle Persian texts to represent the Manichean deity of light. Mani had himself introduced this practice (for perhaps political reasons) in his Shapurgan, which he dedicated to his patron Shapur II. For much of the rest of the Sassanid era, the Manichaens were a persecuted minority, and Mani was sentenced to death by Bahram I.

Calendar reforms

Main article: Zoroastrian calendar

Sacred fires

Main article: Zoroastrian sacred fires

The three great sacred fires of Persia at the time of the Sassanids were the Adur Farnbag, Adur Gushnasp and the Adur Burzen-Mihr which burnt in Pars, Media and Parthia respectively. Of these three the Adur Burzen-Mihr was the most sacred fire as it was linked to the prophet Zarathustra himself and king Vishtaspa. .

Mazdakite movement

Main article: Mazdak