Zoroaster
At present time there are about 200/000
Zoroastrian
s throughout the world. Most of the worlds
Zoroastrian
s, who are about 100/000, are living in India and they are called Parsis. Due to the Arabs' invasion of Iran, which was cruel (_See Koran Sura 9 “Al Tauba “ Ayeh 5 and 29 and 123 ) , most Parsis left their own country, and emigrated to India in the ninth century. Even, at present time, if Iranians are asked about
Zoroastrians identity, most of them will answer, those people are fire worshipers and like Jews and other pagans and Christians are unclean people ( See Koran Sura 9 Ayeh 28 ).
Zoroaster
Zoroaster
, also called Zarathustra, was an
ancient Persian prophet who founded the first world religion -
Zoroastrianism.
According to the 'Zend Avesta', the sacred book of
Zoroastrianism, he was born in Azerbaijan, in northern
Persia, probably in the seventh century BC, although some scholars put the time-frame for Zoroaster much earlier.
He is said to have received a vision from
Ahura Mazda
, the Wise Lord, who appointed him to preach the truth.
Zoroaster began preaching his message of cosmic strife between
Ahura Mazda, the God of Light, and Ahriman, the principle of evil. According to the prophet, man had been given the power to choose between good and evil. The end of the world would come when the forces of light would triumph and the saved souls rejoice in its victory.
This dualism was part of an evolution towards monotheism in the Middle East.
Zoroaster's teaching became the guiding light of
Persian Empire and civilization.
After Alexander the Great conquered
Persia Empire, Zoroastrianism began to die out in Persia, but it survived in India where it became the basis of the Parsi religion.