Editing Religious persecution (section)

===Persecution of Zoroastrians===
{{main|Persecution of Zoroastrians}}
[[File:A_Zoroastrian_Family_Teheran_1910.JPG|right|thumb|A Zoroastrian family in [[Qajar dynasty|Qajar]] Iran, about 1910]]
The [[persecution of Zoroastrians]] is the religious persecution which has been inflicted upon adherents of the [[Zoroastrianism|Zoroastrian]] faith. The persecution of Zoroastrians has occurred throughout their religion's history. The discrimination and harassment began in the form of sparse violence and [[Forced conversion to Islam|forced conversions]]. According to Zoroastrian records, [[Muslims]] destroyed [[fire temples]]. Zoroastrians who lived under Muslim rule were required to pay a tax which was called the [[jizya]].<ref name=hou100>{{Cite book | last =Houtsma | first =Martijn Theodoor | title =First Encyclopaedia of Islam 1913–1936: E.J.Brill's| publisher =BRILL |year=1936 | id =9789004097964 | isbn =90-04-09796-1 |volume=2 |page=100}}</ref>
 
Zoroastrian [[fire temple|places of worship]] were desecrated, [[fire temple]]s were destroyed and mosques were built in their place. Many libraries were [[book burning|burned]] and much of the cultural heritage of the Zoroastrians was lost. Gradually, an increasing number of discriminatory laws were passed, these laws regulated the behavior of Zoroastrians and they also limited the Zoroastrians' ability to participate in society. Over time, the persecution of Zoroastrians became more common and it also became widespread, and as a result, the number of believers significantly decreased by force.<ref name=hou100 />

Most Zoroastrians were forced to convert to Islam due to the systematic abuse and discrimination which was inflicted upon them by followers of [[Islam]]. Once a Zoroastrian family was forced to convert to [[Islam]], the children were sent to an [[Madrasa|Islamic school]], where they were required to learn [[Arabic]] and study the teachings of Islam, as a result, some of these people lost their Zoroastrian faith. However, under the [[Samanids]], who were Zoroastrian converts to Islam, the [[Persian language]] flourished. On some occasions, the Zoroastrian clergy assisted Muslims when they launched their attacks against people who they considered Zoroastrian heretics.<ref name=hou100 />

A Zoroastrian astrologer who was named [[Mulla Gushtasp]] predicted the fall of the [[Zand dynasty]] to the Qajar army in Kerman. Because of Gushtasp's forecast, the Zoroastrians of Kerman were spared by the conquering army of [[Mohammad Khan Qajar|Agha Mohammad Khan Qajar]]. Despite the aforementioned favorable incident, the Zoroastrians  remained in agony during the [[Qajar dynasty]] and as a result, their population continued to decline. Even during the rule of Agha Mohammad Khan, the founder of the dynasty, many Zoroastrians were killed and some of them were taken captive and deported to [[Azerbaijan]].<ref name=sh21>{{Citation|last =Shahmardan|first =Rashid|title =History of Zoroastrians past Sasanians |page=125}}</ref> Zoroastrians regard the Qajar period as one of their worst.<ref name=price111>{{Citation|last =Price|first =Massoume |title =Iran's diverse peoples: a reference sourcebook|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gzpdq679oJwC&pg=PP1|page=205|year=2005|edition=Illustrated|publisher =ABC-CLIO |isbn=9781576079935}}</ref> During the Qajar dynasty, the religious persecution of the Zoroastrians was rampant. Due to their increasing contacts with influential [[Parsi people|Parsi]] philanthropists such as [[Maneckji Limji Hataria]], many Zoroastrians left [[Iran]] and migrated to India. There, they formed the [[Irani (India)|Iranis]], India's second largest Zoroastrian community.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/zoroastrianism-02-arab-conquest-to-modern|title=ZOROASTRIANISM ii. Arab Conquest to Modern – Encyclopaedia Iranica|website=www.iranicaonline.org|access-date=3 April 2020}}</ref>