Saudi Arabia and Iran are bitter rivals, clashing politically and ideologically for decades.
In September 2016, Iran’s Ayatollah blamed Saudi authorities for the deaths of hundreds
of Muslims during a stampede at the previous year’s Hajj Pilgrimage.
In his response, Saudi Arabia’s Grand Mufti [Muff-tea] said he was “not surprised”
by the accusation as it came from the descendants of Zoroastrians, who are not Muslim.
Iran was indeed originally made up of followers of Zoroastrianism, and we wanted to know:
what exactly is this unique religion?
Well, Zoroastrianism is one of the world’s oldest monotheistic religions, predating Christianity,
Islam and even Judaism.
It was founded by the Prophet Zoroaster roughly 3500 years ago, in what is today Iran.
Zoroastrianism was the official religion of pre-islamic Iranian empires from roughly 650-600
BC, and was, at one point, one of the most dominant faiths in the world.
However today, it is rare to find.
Most recent estimates place the number of followers at about 200,000,with most living
in India and Iran.
Zoroastrians believe in one God, called Ahura Mazda [A-hoo-rah Maz-dah], or “Wise Lord”.
They believe that he created the world, and designed it to exist and evolve in a way that
is “perfect” and “righteous”.
This so-called “law of Asha” [Ah-sha] is what Zoroastrians see as the ideal way
that life should be, and every day, they affirm this goal in their most basic prayer, called
“Ashem Vohu” [Ah-shem Voh-hoo].
As one of the early pioneers of dualism, Zoroastrians believe that everything in the world exists
within moral opposites, such as good and evil or heaven and hell..
They believe in free will, and that “good thoughts, good words, and good deeds” will
repel evil forces and, thus, bring them closer to the perfect, divine life.
After death, humans purportedly confront these choices before a heavenly tribunal, who then
deliver them to Zoroastrianism's own version of heaven or hell, translated as the Excellent
Abode and the Worst Existence, respectively.
It’s no coincidence that these ideas are also pillars of succeeding monotheistic faiths.
Islam, Christianity and Judaism are all said to be influenced by Zoroastrian beliefs of
a single deity, a dualistic universe and a final judgement day.
That said, Zoroastrians are unique in a number of ways.
For instance, they are known for their fascination with fire, which they see as a symbol of the
divine because of its warmth and light.
The religion also emphasizes individual rather than group worship, so most adherents choose
to pray at home rather than at a place of worship like a church or temple.
When they do gather, it’s usually for holidays or coming of age ceremonies, which some compare
to a Jewish bar and bat mitzvah.
And although Zoroastrianism promotes good behavior; unlike other religions, it doesn’t
prescribe a moral code of conduct or a long list of rules.
Over the last few centuries, the number of zoroastrians has dropped dramatically as a
result of oppression, forced conversions and migration.
India, which is home to the majority of followers, sees roughly 10 percent fewer zoroastrians
every decade, according to a report by UNESCO What’s more, the religion has been struggling
to adapt to modern times without losing its unique cultural identity.
If the religion continues to decline at its current rate, zoroastrianism may soon be something
we only read about in history books.
Zoroastrianism’s emphasis on positivity and non-violence is hardly unique.
Many faiths promote peace, and yet countless people around the world continue to be marginalized,
jailed or even killed in the name of religion.
So which religions are actually peaceful?
Learn more in this video.
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