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Zoroastrians have faced much religious discrimination including forced conversions, harassments, as well as being identified as najis and impure to some groups of Muslims, while they are originally recognized as Ahle Kitab, (People of the Book; along with Christians and Jews) who have a holy scripture, as they believe in one God and His prophet, Zarathushtra (Grk:Zoroaster). These persistent persecutions have overall resulted in the ruling class Zoroastrian community which had much influence over the pre-Islamic era Persian empires to become one of the smallest religious minorities in the world.

Islamic persecution of Zoroastrianism was rampant in the decades after the Muslim conquest. Many were forced to convert to Islam mainly by force or by attritional methods. The purpose was to establish a Muslim based Arab-centric state within Iran, as Zoroastrianism was associated with the original Persian inhabitants of the Iranian world.

Persecution of Zoroastrians have mainly taken place in their own homeland Persia, modern day Iran. The history of persecution of Zoroastrians started from the Arab conquest of Persia and fall of the Sassanid Empire.

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Maneckji Nusserwanji Dhalla (September 22, 1875 – May 25, 1956), also abbreviated M. N. Dhalla, was a Zoroastrian priest and religious scholar.

Dhalla is best known for his criticism of the orthodox factions within the Parsi community. In particular, he was stringently opposed to the excessive ritualization of religious practice, including that of the use of the Towers of Silence. In his autobiography, he was also critical of the orthodox refusal to accept converts, noting that "the permanent blockade to an influx from outside, the abandoning of the fold by an increasing number of both men and women, and the ever-falling birth-rate of the community [...] it can be said that [the question of conversion] has become the thread on which hangs the very existence of this microscopic community."

The Encyclopedia Iranica entry for Dhalla – written by the son of a contemporary of Dhalla's with whom the Head Priest was at loggerheads for many years – summarizes Dhallas's position as "embroiled in the problem of proselytizing [...] that plagued the community; even though he held liberal views in the matter, he always sided with the orthodox majority." Dhalla himself merely acknowledged that "in replying to questions concerning ceremonies and conventions I do not give my personal opinion as a thinking individual or as a humble scholar or as a reformist, because I have no authority to do so. I am the Head Priest of a [community] that is 75% conservative and of a performing priest-class that is 99% orthodox. These gentlemen consider the later [traditional treatises] as authentic law-books on customs and conventions, hence my replies are perforce based mainly in conformity with their teachings."

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Did you know

...that a Zoroastrian private citizen, Avabai Jamsetjee Jeejeebhoy, entirely funded the construction of the Mahim Causeway, a major thoroughfare connecting the island city of Mumbai (Bombay) with its north-western suburbs?

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Main Category:

• Zoroastrianism

Detailed information about the Zoroastrianism can be found under these sub-categories:

• Zoroastrian history
• Zoroastrian mythology
• Zoroastrian texts

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Topics

Overview: Ahura Mazda • Zarathustra (Zoroaster) • Zurvanism • Yazata (Angels) • Fire Temple • Persian Mythology

Scriptures: Avesta • Book of Arda Viraf • Bundahishn • Gathas • Jamasp Namag • Khordeh Avesta • Vendidad • Yasna • Zend

Culture: Music • Calendar • Festivals • Marriage • Parsi Cuisine • Parsis • Iranis • Zoroastrians in Iran

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