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ZOROASTRIANISMSubsequent to the fall of the Persian Empire, after which Zoroastrianism was gradually supplanted by Islam, many Zoroastrians fled to other regions in the hope of preserving their religious tradition. Among them were several groups who migrated to Gujarat, on the western shores of the Indian subcontinent, where they finally settled. The descendants of those refugees are today known as the Parsis with a concentration in and around the city of Mumbai (previously known as Bombay). Nevertheless, Zoroastrians in Iran have, like other religious minorities, survived centuries of persecution. Principles
Ahura Mazda
(Avestan, or Ormuzd in later Persian) is the supreme God.
He is the beginning and the end, the creator of everything which
can and cannot be seen, the Eternal, the Pure and the only Truth.
Thus, Zoroastrianism is sometimes refereed as Mazdaism which
is the name of the religion that acknowledges the divine authority
of Ahura Mazda, proclaimed by Zoroaster to be the one uncreated
Creator of all (God).
Thus, making Zoroastrianism a monotheistic religion.
TeachingsThe teachings of Zoroastrianism had major influences on the Abrahamic Religions. Ancient Scriptures
In the Gathas,
the most sacred texts of Zoroastrianism and thought to have
been composed by Zoroaster himself. Such as the Avesta, and in later sources
such as the Bundahishn
and the Denkard.
The original Avesta dates back
to 1400 - 1200 BCE but it was destroyed by Alexander the Great when he
invaded Persia. The current version dates from the 13th or 14th century,
and contains only a fragment of the original text.
The Yashts section of the Avesta is the principal and most clear evidence available to us regarding the process of zoroastrianization of ancient deities within a new cultural context, dominated by the figure of the supreme god, Ahura Mazda. The Yashts are hymns dedicated to the various beings worthy of worship: Ahura Mazda himself, the Amesha Spentas as a group, | |||||||||
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