The Zoroastrians' Social and Cultural History in Safavid and Qajar Eras on the basis of the Travel books

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

Assistant Professor of Vali-e-Asr University of Rafsanjan, College of Iranian Studies, Rafsanjan, Iran

10.22081/hiq.2021.48290.1579

Abstract

Zoroastrianism is considered as one of the most ancient religions in the world; since, it was the official religion of Iran from the 6th century B. C to the 7th A. D. Consistent with the advent of Islam in Iran, the resistance of a few Zoroastrian followers to join the new religion led to failure due to the various factors; moreover, the Zoroastrian population was gradually reduced to small and scattered minorities. The survivors of Zoroastrians, mostly living in Iran and India at the present time, still believe in the prophet’s instructions.
This study, done through the descriptive-analytical method, has presented the socio-cultural history of the Zoroastrians based on the information provided by the writers of travel books in Safavid and Qajar eras and the findings clarifies that the Zoroastrians were always different from the Muslims from Safavid era to the middle of Qajar era they often played a minor role in the society with their difficult life. However, they maintained their adherence to their religion and tradition. From the middle of Qajar era, Zoroastrians' living conditions was improved due to the assistance of Indian Persians, and this issue caused the existing pressures and discriminations to fade over time, and Zoroastrians gradually regained their special cultural and social identity.

Keywords

Article Title [العربیة]

التاریخ الاجتماعی و الثقافی للزرادشتیة فی إیران خلال العهدین الصفوی و القاجاری، بالاستناد على قصص الرحّالة

Abstract [العربیة]

تعتبر الزرادشتیة إحدى أقدم الدیانات فی العالم، و قد کانت الدیانة الرسمیة لإیران منذ بدایة القرن السادس قبل المیلاد حتى القرن السابع. مع وصول الإسلام إلى إیران، انعزل عدد قلیل من أتباع الزرادشتیة الذین قاوموا الانضمام إلى الدین الجدید بسبب عوامل مختلفة، و مع مرور الوقت انخفض عدد السکان الزرادشتیین لیصبحوا أقلیّة متفرّقة. لا یـزال یعیـش من تبقـى من أتباع الدیـانة الزرادشتیة فی إیران و فی الهند، و لا یزالون یتّبعون تعالیم نبیّهم. فی هذا البحث، تم شرح الثقافة العامة للزرادشتیین بناءًا على المعلومات التی أوضحتها کتب الرحّالة فی عهـد الدولـة الصفویة و القاجـاریّة، و ذلـک طبق المنهـج الوصفی التحلیلی و التاریخ الإجتماعی. تظهر نتائج هذا البحث أنّ الزرادشتیین کانوا یختلفون عن المسلمین، و غالباً ما یعانون من ظروف حیاتیّة صعبة، کما کان دورهم غیر ملحوظ فی المجتمع، و ذلک فی الفترة الممتدة من العصر الصفوی حتى منتصف العصر القاجاری. ولکن على الرغم من ذلک کانوا یحافظون على عقائدهم و یتمسکون بدینهم و عاداتهم و تقالیدهم. منذ الفترة الممتدة من منتصف العهد القاجاری، تحسّنت أوضاع الزرادشتیّین بمساعدة الهنـود الفـرس، مما أدى الـى تدنّی أشکال التمییز و المعاناة مع مرور الوقت، و هذا ما جعلهم یحافظون على ارثهم و هویتهم الثقافیّة و الاجتماعیة

Keywords [العربیة]

  • الزرادشتیّون
  • العصر الصفوی
  • العصر القاجاری
  • قصص الرحّالة
  • التاریخ الاجتماعی

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