Introduction
Both Zoroastrianism and Islam are monotheist religions founded by historical founders and originated in middle-East long after Hinduism. Both the religions have a past of forcefully converting people of other faiths into theirs and both have prescribed form of regimented religious practices. In spite of these, there exist some differences between the two as regards evolution, beliefs and practices. This article is an attempt to highlight some of the major differences between the two.
Difference as to evolution
Zoroastrianism
The religion was originated in Persia (now Iran) during seventh century BC. It was the official religion of Persia during Sassanid Empire. Zarathustra or Zoroaster was the founder of the religion. Zarathustra claimed to be taken to heaven by God Ahura Mazda, who he claimed was the creator of all the good things in the universe, and that Ahura Mazda is the only God to be worshipped. This monotheist ideology contradicted the existing polytheism and Zoroastrianism faced resistance in the beginning. But the ruling dynasty patronized the religion, and it existed as the official language of Persia till seventh century BC when Muslim invaders invaded Persia and Islam became the state religion.
Islam
During 5th century AD, Arabian Peninsula was the land of continuously migrating nomadic people. As settlements by small groups began in Mecca, polytheism became the faith structure with different sects believing in different Gods. In Mecca there were 360 shrines one for each day of the lunar calendar, and Mecca was the most prominent pilgrimage center in the Arabian Peninsula. Religion was never a source of morality for the people living in Arab. Greed, violence, and other unethical practices were abounded during that time. The Quraish community to which Muhammad the founder of Islam belonged was the most powerful tribe in Mecca. Muhammad propagated the religion as he claimed to have been revealed to him by angel Gabriel on behalf of Allah. Gradually the religion grew in strength as more and more people embraced Islam, sometimes out of fear of prosecution, in Arabian Peninsula and the rest of the world including Indian subcontinent and Europe.
Difference as to belief
Followers of Zoroastrianism believe that there is only one God called Ahura Mazda and an opponent called Ahura Mainyu, the spirit of evil forces. They believe there would be battle between good and evil where good will be victorious and that people have to participate in the battle. Depending upon for which side people fight in the war, they will spend their eternity after death.
Muslims believe there is only one God (Allah) and no other God. The purpose of human lives is to live life according to Allah’s wish and as reward attain paradise. The followers of Islam believe that Muhammad was the ‘seal of prophets’ i. e. last and greatest of all messengers of Allah. It is written in Quran that soul never dies and after death transformation of physical appearance take place. It is also a wide held belief in Islam that a judgment day will come when humanity will be destined either to heaven or hell.
Difference as to practices
Zoroastrianism have some of the primitive customs like bathing a number of times to keep body pure and worshipping with elaborate arrangements some are really difficult to practice in normal life style. One highly controversial religious practice of Zoroastrianism is polygamy and incest, which according to Zarathustra makes the soul and body of the new born pure. Though the ruling dynasty of 7th century BC Persia accepted this practice, it remains a point of dissent even among the followers of Zoroastrianism. Another controversial practice is distinct class division among the followers.
On the other hand Islam is free from such torturous religious practices. The followers of Islam pray 5 times a day and keep fast for a month in the year. There are some compulsory rituals like donating money and food to the poor in certain occasions. There is also a voluntary practice of visiting Mecca called Haj. Islam never discriminates on the basis of class or creed.
Difference as to religious text
Quran is the religious text of Islam that contains the revelations as the angel made to Muhammad. There is another text in Islam Called Hadish that contains stories as told by other prophets of Islam.
On the other hand the religious text of Zoroastrianism is known as Avesta. The book contains the hymns in praise of Ahura Mazda and rituals to be performed during festival. The book was completed during the Sassanid dynasty.
Difference as to choosing followers
Zarathustra founded the religion to be practiced strictly by people of Persia, and people of no other places were allowed to practice the religion. This is the reason that the religion was confined to Iran until there was huge migration of Zoroastrians from Iran to India for fear of persecution by Muslim rulers. Today the religion is confined to some pockets of Iran and some places in north-India. There are about hundred thousand Zoroastrians all over the world and almost sixty percent of them live in India.
Islam on the other hand originated in Arabian Peninsula, and spread to whole of middle-East, Europe, and Indian subcontinent. The preachers of Islam made all out effort to spread Islam even forcefully. Today’s world-Muslim population is about 1.5 billion.
Summary
- Islam was founded by Muhammad in 7th century AD; Zoroastrianism was founded by Zoroaster in 7th century BC.
- Zoroastrians believe in only one God Ahura Mazda; Muslims believe in only one God Allah.
- Zoroastrianism propagates incest; Islam prohibits incest except some exceptional cases.
- Zoroastrianism is confined to Iran and India; Islam is spread all over the world.
- The sacred text of Zoroastrianism is Avesta; Quran is the sacred text of Islam.
- Zoroastrians follow torturous rituals; Muslims follow less torturous rituals.
- Current world population of Zoroastrians is about 100 thousand; that of Muslims is about 1.5 billion.
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Some of these information about Islam is completely wrong and offensive to true Muslims
1-False (Zoroastrians follow torturous rituals; Muslims follow less torturous rituals)- truth( Islam has no torturous rituals at all; what some sheiaa of Iran is doing is because they Plame themselves and their ancestors for letting Ali Bin Abotalib (PUH) killed under there protection, they betrayed him so they punish themselves which is against Islam. It may be a remnant of their older believes from Zoroastrians torturous rituals .
2-Profet Mohamed did not found Islam, he was Just the last messenger from GOD to humanity to complete the message of Islam.
I hope you ask a true Islamic scholar or institute to explain the true Islam , we are in the 21st century your information should be correct .
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Also,
“This monotheist ideology contradicted the existing polytheism and Zoroastrianism faced resistance in the beginning. But the ruling dynasty patronized the religion, and
(((it existed as the official language of Persia till seventh century BC when Muslim invaders invaded Persia and Islam became the state religion.)))
1) Mohammed established Islam in the 7th Century AD, not seven hundred years Before Christ!
2) How could “Muslim Invaders invade Persia” 1300 years before it’s inception?
This paragraph simply sounds like an illiterate wrote it.
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There is another wrong information about Islam in this website:
“Both the religions have a past of forcefully converting people of other faiths into theirs….”
Regarding Islam, there’s no such thing as forcefully converting. People never came into Islam forcefully but willing when the truth was explained to them and they acknowledged it. In fact it was the pagans in Makkah during the time of Prophet Muhammed, who persecuted Muslims for their faith and even today we can see many Muslims being persecuted in some parts of the world for their faith.
Please correct this point.
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Brother ..You should try to learn more ..As there are more than enough proof to justify that there was a forceful conversation into muslims in indian sub continent
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But the religion itself prohibited conversion by force, So its not the religion you should blame but its followers, Senpai.
Thanks for expressing ypur view though : D .
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But it is truth, in india all mugal emperor forcefully converted Hindu in Islam, pls read indian history like aurangjabe and others.
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Mr. Singh is unaware of the facts, Islam at no time forcefully converted the non-Muslims to Islam
Guru Nanak Sabji was not forced to Islam, he visited Macca and established his own religion under Muslim Empire in India
At this point only yoy can judge that Islam is the Religion of Nature
My grrand parents were worshipping Idols, the killer disease of vomitting genis those days, my Grand-pa observed that a housefly sat on the vomitted filth and stationed in the lips of the god which the god could not remove it
At this point my father (at 20 years age) raised a questioned to his father,why do not our god remove the filthy housefly from his lips, is he powerless?
There was no answer to his simple question. APOWERLESS GOD HE SAID TO HIS FAMILY
Then the search of true God started by my Grandpa and finally he embrased Islam by his own will and wish
Islam is a religion of truth, it establishes relationship between the Creator and Creation
We have not gone through any torturous ritual in it.
The Quran asks the mankind to Worship ALLAH alone, who is Eternal and Everlasting, those who attain death can not be God,He never sleeps, never forgets, never get tired of serving His creation
The Alone and without Bigining without Ending
Nawabzada Shajee Nawab
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Religions dont force people to change their religions and if we talk about people forcing other people to change their religion…..Aurangzeb,a mughal emperor in India ,forced some of the Indians to change their religion to islam….that is why some people with sir name as ‘malik’ tend to be both muslims and hindus…..
So it was rulers who had powers to dominate other people and forced them to change their religions….
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True,
The Religion itself shouldnt be blamed for what the rulers did since according to Islam, Using force to convert someone is prohibited in the Quran.
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I want to make a correction regarding the Muslim population in the world. As mentioned above 200 million Muslims in the world is wrong and as per the present report it is about 1500 million Muslims in the world. Please set right the record . More than 200 million Muslims live in India only and there are about 60 Muslim countries in the world.
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If you have three plates in front of you, one plate holding a bowl of water, one holding a bowl with ice cubes, the last bowl holding a scoop of snow, if one sits, and observes what materializes of the three, is actually one found in the first bowl….water. if we can use our Sences, given by God, our eye site and our Common Sence, we can see Truth. Why is it, when it comes to The Trinity of God, do we make exceptions and/or give His Power limitations?
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Well Phrased. 😀
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Jesus says:
God is one.
Never said he was God.
he is son of man.
he was sent by God.
God is greater than I.
“fell on his face and prayed, ‘My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as Thou wilt. (Matthew 26:39)
“But when they tried to arrest him, they feared the multitudes, since they held him to be a prophet.” -Matthew 21:46
“Neither be called masters, for you, even the Messiah, has One master.”
-Matthew 23:10
And this is the eternal life – that they know Thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom Thou hast sent. -John 17:3
“And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, ‘Eli,Eli, lama sabachthani? (My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me?’)”
-Matthew 27:46
Jesus became divine in 325 ad, holy spirit in 385 ad. Obviously they were not before that. Constantine forced it on his subjects but even before his death reverted from binitarian to Unitarian.
Why do Christians find it so hard to accept Jesus is not God.
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Islam divides humans into two gropus: believers and infidels. and believers must kill infidels. on the contrary Zeroaster advertised respect to tyhe nature, trees and humans.
Muslims have continued to invade other countries and people since Mohammed and they can not tolerate other beliefs and customs
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Judging from your comment, you have a serious misconception of Islam. The faults you just mentioned are the doings of some misguided sects, and Islam itself never commanded its followers to force anyone into submission.
As for tolerance of other religions, throughout history you will see that islamic kingdoms also hosted other religions and provided them protection and all amenities as long as they paid a very moderate tax in exchange.
Hopefully this sits well with your conscience as we are discussing about kingdoms that existed at least 4 centuries back.
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I am muslim, having studied Zoroastrianism it has become evident that Dhul Qurnain mentioned in the koran is Cyrus the great.
He was described in the quran as just and righteous, a believer in monotheism.
Therefore we are related as is a portion of the jews and Christians.
Be not divided and come to a commonality. Sure there are differences but take the time to understand each others religions and view points and have some respect. We all believe in the same creator. There where many prophets. There is a reason our creator sent many messengers and prophets. Time has a way corrupting the true message. Ppl influence or changes things. The message is the same.
Grow up and study before u opinions have little substance.
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the similarity between Islam and Zoroastrian are as follow,(1)both the to religion pray 5 time a day and at the same hour (2) the both have the same story of night journey of their prophet to the 7 heaven (3) the both practice ablution before prayer (3) tawaf between safa and marwa (sahih bukhari 2:26:710) e.t.c
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You’re wrong about the incest and polygamy, Zoratrianism explicitly says you shouldn’t have more than one wife, and I never read anything about incest in Zoroastrianism.
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Yes you are right and I want to add 1 thing more Zoroastrianism was also not spread by force.Cyrus the Great a great Persian king was very kind and he left people free about their religion,language and culture it can be said 1 of the reasons that in history Persian empire was the biggest empire.
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I seriously doubt the genuineness of the zoroastrian “torturous ” rituals like incest as mentioned above.
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RELIGION CONVERSION IS NOT POSSIBLE. Respect your Religions in which you are born. ALL Religions are equal on earth and have their own history.
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is parsi muslim or not..?
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