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._001.jpg) As Muslims we believe that all
people are born with the natural inclination to worship God; One God, nor a
plethora of gods and demi gods. Therefore it makes perfect sense that in the
ancient world, including the Persian Empire there were people who worshipped
One God. Islam completes and purifies such monotheism.
It has been said that Zoroaster was pious, noble and
compassionate. He preached that a moral life paved the way to eternal bliss. He
encouraged his followers to love the righteous and have compassion for the
distressed.
Like Islam, Zoroastrianism does not discriminate between
men and women, both sexes are treated equally in the religious texts. There is
no preferential treatment of male children and children are advised to honour
both father and mother equally.
What exactly does Quran have to say about these monotheistic
religions that pre date the Islam we know today? Who are the people mentioned
along with Jews and Christians?
Verily, those who believe (in God and in His Messenger
Muhammad), and those who are Jews, and the Sabians, and the Christians, and the
Magians, and those who worship others besides God, truly, God will judge
between them on the Day of Resurrection. Verily! God is over all things a
Witness. (Quran 22:17)
Zoroaster had a great reputation as a scholar and
physician.. He established many fire temples and suppressed the worship of
demons, and the use of magic, witchcraft and sorcery. Zoroastrians were indeed the people mentioned in
Quran as Magians
Although the ancient Greeks viewed Zoroaster to be the
founder of the religion of the Persians, they embellished his story to such an
extent that a new and novel existence was created for Zoroaster. He was placed
in an impossibly ancient past, some 6 or 7 millennia before the Common Era and
was invariably cast an either a King and or a sage. Zoroaster began to be portrayed
not only as a sorcerer and astrologer but as the inventor of magic. The Greek
love of exotic wisdom and the evolution of the word mage from learned one to
practitioner of magic were combined to incorrectly define Zoroaster as a
magician and the Zoroastrian’s as Magians ( def. magicians).
The origin of the word magi in Persian sources is
unclear but its use in Zoroastrian scriptures seems to refer to a member of a
tribe or group, possibly leading to the word magian coming to denote
Zoroastrians. In Christian literature the three men who travel from the East to
meet the new born Jesus are referred to as the magi or wise men.
The origin and meaning of the word Sabian (mentioned in
Quran with the word magian) is also shrouded in mystery however we can be
certain that Magians and Sabians were two distinctly different religious groups
The original Sabians did not worship either the angels
or the stars but are said to have followed the teachings of Prophet Abraham. In
short their beliefs and monotheism was similar to that of the Jews, however
they came before the Jews possibly as far back as the time of Prophet Noah. Sabians
are sometimes referred to as the people of Prophet Abraham just as the Jews are
called the people of Prophet Moses.
The four religious groups mentioned in Quran, Jews, Sabians, Christians and
Magians all practised forms of monotheism, sometimes adulterated, thus not
always the pure monotheism of Islam.
Thus, in conclusion we find that the Zoroastrians were
never fire worshippers, magicians, sorcerers or astrologists. At one time
Zoroastrianism dominated
an area stretching from what is now Rome and Greece to India and Russia. Their numbers dropped when the
Persian Empire was conquered in the 7th century C.E.
Zoroastrians
do not preach their religion; in fact, many modern Zoroastrians claim that conversion
to their religion is impossible. While there are priests there is no
hierarchy and no intermediaries between the people and God. The basic doctrine
of Zoroastrianism revolves around good thoughts, good words, and good deeds.
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