Editing Zoroastrianism (section)

== Relation to other religions and cultures ==
[[File:Iran-achaemenids (darius the great).jpg|thumb|left|Map of the Achaemenid Empire in the 5th century BCE|301x301px]]

=== Indo-Iranian origins ===
{{See also|Indo-Iranians|Proto-Indo-Iranian religion}}
The religion of Zoroastrianism is closest to [[historical Vedic religion]] to varying degrees.{{clarification needed|date=November 2023}}<!--What does "varying degrees" mean here?--> Some historians believe that Zoroastrianism, along with similar philosophical revolutions in South Asia were interconnected strings of reformation of a common Indo-Aryan thread. Many traits of Zoroastrianism can be traced to prehistoric Indo-Iranian culture and beliefs, that is, before the migrations that separated the [[Indo-Aryans]] and [[Iranics|Iranic]] peoples. Thus, Zoroastrianism shares elements with the [[historical Vedic religion]] that also originated in that era. Some examples include cognates between the [[Avestan]] word ''Ahura'' ("Ahura Mazda") and the Vedic [[Sanskrit]] word ''[[Asura]]'' ('demon', 'evil demigod'); as well as ''[[daeva]]'' ("demon") and ''[[Deva (Hinduism)|deva]]'' ("god") and they both descend from a common [[Proto-Indo-Iranian religion]].{{citation needed|date=February 2021}}

Zoroastrianism inherited ideas from other belief systems and, like other "practiced" religions, contains [[syncretism]].<ref>e.g., {{harvnb|Boyce|1982|p=202}}.</ref> Specifically, Zoroastrianism in [[Sogdia]], the [[Kushan Empire]], Armenia, China, and other places incorporates local and foreign practices and deities.<ref>{{Cite book|title=The Wiley-Blackwell Companion to Zoroastrianism|publisher=John Wiley & Sons|year=2015|isbn=9781444331356|pages=83–191}}</ref>

Conversely, Zoroastrian influenced [[Hungarian mythology|Hungarian]], [[Slavic mythology|Slavic]], [[Ossetian mythology|Ossetian]], [[Turkic mythology|Turkic]] and [[Mongol mythology|Mongol]] mythologies, all of which bear extensive light-dark dualisms and possible sun god theonyms related to [[Hvare-khshaeta]].<ref>Š. Kulišić; P.Ž. Petrović; N. Pantelić. "Бели бог". Српски митолошки речник (in Serbian). Belgrade: Nolit. pp. 21–22.</ref><ref>Juha Pentikäinen, Walter de Gruyter, Shamanism and Northern Ecology 11 July 2011</ref><ref>Diószegi, Vilmos (1998) [1958]. A sámánhit emlékei a magyar népi műveltségben (in Hungarian) (1. reprint kiadás ed.). Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó. {{ISBN|963-05-7542-6}}. The title means: "Remnants of shamanistic beliefs in Hungarian folklore".</ref>

=== Abrahamic religions ===
Zoroastrianism is sometimes credited with being the first monotheistic religion in history,<ref name="auto"/> antedating the Israelites and leaving a lasting and profound imprint on [[Second Temple Judaism]] and, through it, on later monotheistic religions such as early Christianity and Islam.<ref name="Ferrero-2021"/><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.britannica.com/topic/Zoroastrianism |title=Zoroastrianism &#124; Definition, Beliefs, Founder, Holy Book, & Facts &#124; Britannica |access-date=1 March 2024 |archive-date=8 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230408140014/http://britannica.com/topic/Zoroastrianism |url-status=live }}</ref>
There are clear commonalities and similarities between Zoroastrianism, Judaism and Christianity, such as: monotheism, dualism (i.e., a robust notion of a Devil—but with a positive appraisal of material creation), symbolism of the divine, heaven(s) and hell(s), angels and demons, eschatology and final judgment, a messianic figure and the idea of a savior, a holy spirit, concern with ritual purity, an idealization of wisdom and righteousness, and other doctrines, symbols, practices, and religious features.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.academia.edu/41617347 |title=Zoroastrian Influence on Post-Exilic Jewish Belief and Practice |date=January 2009 |access-date=6 March 2024 |archive-date=25 February 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240225144004/https://www.academia.edu/41617347/Zoroastrian_Influence_on_Post_Exilic_Jewish_Belief_and_Practice |url-status=live |last1=Fredrickson |first1=Nathan }}</ref>

According to [[Mary Boyce]], {{qi|Zoroaster was thus the first to teach the doctrines of an individual judgement, Heaven and Hell, the future resurrection of the body, the general last judgement, and life everlasting for the reunited soul and body. These doctrines were to become familiar articles of faith to much of mankind, through borrowing by Judaism Christianity and Islam; yet it is in Zoroastrianism itself that they have their fullest logical coherence. Since Zoroaster insisted both on the goodness of material creation, and hence of the physical body, and on the unwavering impartiality of divine justice.}}<ref>{{cite book |last= Boyce |first= Mary |date= 2000 |title= Zoroastrians: their religious beliefs and practices |publisher= Routledge |page=50}}</ref>

The interactions between Judaism and Zoroastrianism resulted in transfer of religious ideas between the two religions and as a result, it is believed that Jews under Achaemenid rule were influenced by Zoroastrian angelology, demonology, eschatology, as well as Zoroastrian ideas about compensatory justice in life and after death.<ref>{{cite book |last= Dhalla |first= Maneckji Nusservanji |date= 1985 |title= History of Zoroastrianism |publisher= K.R. Cama Oriental Institute |page=24,198}}</ref> It is also postulated that the Jewish high monotheistic concept of God developed during and after the period of the [[Babylonian captivity]], when the Jews had a prolonged exposure to sophisticated Zoroastrian beliefs.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://open.bu.edu/handle/2144/34653 |title=The impact of Zoroastrianism upon Judaism and Christianity |date=1965 |access-date=26 February 2024 |archive-date=26 February 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240226160333/https://open.bu.edu/handle/2144/34653 |url-status=live |last1=Patchell |first1=Herbert Sidney }}</ref>

In addition, Zoroastrian concepts seeded dualistic ideas in [[Jewish eschatology]], such as the belief in a savior, the final battle between good and evil, the triumph of good and the resurrection of the dead. These ideas later passed on to Christianity via Zoroastrian-inspired texts of the Old Testament.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.academia.edu/34733252 | title=Kuehn, S., "The Dragon Fighter: The Influence of Zoroastrian Ideas on Judaeo-Christian and Islamic Iconography," in: Zoroastrianism in the Levant, ARAM Society for Syro-Mesopotamian Studies 26, 1/2 (2014), 65–101 | last1=Kuehn | first1=Sara }}</ref>

According to some sources, such as ''[[The Jewish Encyclopedia]]'' (1906),<ref name="A. V. Williams Jackson-1906">{{Cite encyclopedia |title=Zoroastrianism ("Resemblances Between Zoroastrianism and Judaism" and "Causes of Analogies Uncertain") |encyclopedia=The Jewish Encyclopaedia |url=https://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/15283-zoroastrianism |access-date=3 February 2022 |date=1906 |author2=[[A. V. Williams Jackson]] |author1=[[Kaufmann Kohler]] |archive-date=7 February 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220207214342/https://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/15283-zoroastrianism |url-status=live }}</ref> there exist many similarities between Zoroastrianism and Judaism. This has led some to propose that key Zoroastrian concepts influenced Judaism. However, other scholars disagree, finding that the general social influence of Zoroastrianism was much more limited, and that no link can be found in Jewish or Christian texts.<ref name="Basile-2021">{{Cite journal |last=Basile |first=Cam |date=1 January 2021 |title=Zoroastrian Influence on Old Testament Monotheism and Eschatology? A Scriptural and Sociological Analysis |url=https://www.academia.edu/62728102 |journal=Zoroastrian Influence on Old Testament Monotheism and Eschatology? A Scriptural and Sociological Analysis |access-date=26 February 2024 |archive-date=25 February 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240225142442/https://www.academia.edu/62728102/Zoroastrian_Influence_on_Old_Testament_Monotheism_and_Eschatology_A_Scriptural_and_Sociological_Analysis |url-status=live }}</ref>

Proponents of a link cite similarities between the two: such as dualism (good and evil, divine twins Ahura Mazda "God" and Angra Mainyu "Satan"), image of the deity, [[Zoroastrian eschatology|eschatology]], resurrection and [[Judgement (afterlife)|final judgment]], [[messianism]], [[revelation]] of Zoroaster on a mountain with [[Moses]] on [[Mount Sinai (Bible)|Mount Sinai]], three sons of [[Fereydun]] with three [[sons of Noah]], [[heaven]] and [[hell]], angelology and demonology, cosmology of six days or periods of creation, and [[Free will in theology|free will]], among others. Other scholars diminish or reject such influences,<ref name="Nigosian-1993">{{cite book |last=Nigosian |first=Solomon Alexander |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=p6c-TdNc69QC |title=Zoroastrian Faith: Tradition and Modern Research |date=1993 |publisher=McGill-Queen's Press |isbn=9780773511330 |pages=95–97, 131}}</ref><ref name="Grabbe-2006">{{cite book |last=Grabbe |first=Lester L. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1cPeBAAAQBAJ |title=A History of the Jews and Judaism in the Second Temple Period (vol. 1): The Persian Period (539-331BCE) |date=2006 |publisher=Bloomsbury Publishing |isbn=9780567216175 |pages=361–364 |author-link=Lester L. Grabbe |access-date=3 February 2022 |archive-date=31 March 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240331133546/https://books.google.com/books?id=1cPeBAAAQBAJ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="A. V. Williams Jackson-1906" /><ref>{{harvnb|Black|Rowley|1982|p=607b}}.</ref><ref>{{harvnb|Duchesne-Guillemin|1988|p=815}}.</ref><ref name="Basile-2021"/> noting that {{qi|Zoroastrianism has a unique theistic doctrine which combines dualism, polytheism and pantheism}}, rather than being a monotheistic religion.<ref name="Basile-2021" /> Others say {{qi|there is little concrete evidence about the precise origin and development of}} Zoroastrianism,<ref>{{Cite book |last=Nigosian |first=Solomon Alexander |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=p6c-TdNc69QC |title=Zoroastrian Faith: Tradition and Modern Research |date=1993 |publisher=McGill-Queen's Press – MQUP |isbn=978-0-7735-1133-0 |language=en |access-date=26 February 2024 |archive-date=26 February 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240226163727/https://books.google.com/books?id=p6c-TdNc69QC&redir_esc=y |url-status=live }}</ref> and that {{qi|Zoroastrianism does not compare with the Jewish belief in the sovereignty of God over the whole of creation.}}<ref>{{Cite book |last=Grabbe |first=Lester L. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1cPeBAAAQBAJ&q=Zorua |title=A History of the Jews and Judaism in the Second Temple Period (vol. 1): The Persian Period (539-331BCE) |date=27 July 2006 |publisher=Bloomsbury Publishing |isbn=978-0-567-21617-5 |language=en |access-date=26 February 2024 |archive-date=26 February 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240226163721/https://books.google.co.uk/books?redir_esc=y&id=1cPeBAAAQBAJ&q=Zoroa#v=onepage&q=Zorua&f=false |url-status=live }}</ref>

Others, such as [[Lester L. Grabbe]], have said {{qi|there is general agreement that Persian religion and tradition had its influence on Judaism over the centuries}} and the {{qi|question is where this influence was and which of the developments in Judaism can be ascribed to the Iranian side as opposed to the effect of the Greek or other cultures}}.<ref name="Grabbe-2006" /> There exist distinctions but also similarities between Zoroastrian and [[Jewish law]] regarding marriage and procreation.<ref>{{cite book |last=Weisberg |first=Dvora E. |date=2000 |title=The Annual of Rabbinic Judaism: Ancient, Medieval, and Modern |chapter=The Babylonian Talmud's Treatment of Levirate Marriage |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=96HbcFxuTWkC |publisher=BRILL |pages=63–65 |isbn=9789004118935 |access-date=3 February 2022 |archive-date=3 February 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220203065704/https://books.google.com/books?id=96HbcFxuTWkC |url-status=live }}</ref> While Mary Boyce claims, besides Abrahamic religions, Zoroastrian influence also extended to [[Northern Buddhism]].{{sfn|Boyce|2001|p=1, 77}}

==== Islam ====
Zoroastrians are considered to be a "[[People of the Book]]" by Muslims.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2 June 2016 |title=Ahl al-Kitāb |url=https://www.britannica.com/topic/Ahl-al-Kitab |access-date=10 June 2024 |website=[[Britannica]] |language=en}}</ref>

=== Manichaeism ===
Zoroastrianism is often compared with [[Manichaeism]]. Nominally an Iranian religion, Manichaeism was heavily inspired by Zoroastrianism{{citation needed|date=April 2024}} because of [[Mani (prophet)|Mani]]'s Iranian origin, and it was also rooted in prior [[Middle-East]]ern [[Gnostic]] beliefs.<ref name="Nigosian-1993" />{{sfn|Boyce|2001|p=1, 77}}<ref name="Grabbe-2006" />

Manichaeism adopted many of the [[Yazata]]s for its own pantheon.{{Citation needed|date=May 2023}} Gherardo Gnoli, in ''The Encyclopaedia of Religion'',<ref>Gherardo Gnoli, "Manichaeism: An Overview", in ''Encyclopedia of Religion'', ed. Mircea Eliade (NY: MacMillan Library Reference USA, 1987), 9: 165.</ref> says that {{qi|we can assert that Manichaeism has its roots in the Iranian religious tradition and that its relationship to Mazdaism, or Zoroastrianism, is more or less like that of Christianity to Judaism}}.<ref>Contrast with Henning's observations: Henning, W.B., ''The Book of Giants'', BSOAS, Vol. XI, Part 1, 1943, pp. 52–74:
{{blockquote|It is noteworthy that Mani, who was brought up and spent most of his life in a province of the Persian empire, and whose mother belonged to a famous Parthian family, did not make any use of the Iranian mythological tradition. There can no longer be any doubt that the Iranian names of Sām, Narīmān, etc., that appear in the Persian and Sogdian versions of the Book of the Giants, did not figure in the original edition, written by Mani in the Syriac language}}</ref>

The two religions have substantial differences.<ref>{{harvnb|Zaehner|1961|pp=53–54}}.</ref>

=== Present-day Iran ===
Many aspects of Zoroastrianism are present in the culture and mythologies of the peoples of [[Greater Iran]], not least because Zoroastrianism was a dominant influence on the people of the cultural continent<!-- What is "cultural continent"? --> for a thousand years. Even after the rise of Islam and the loss of direct influence, Zoroastrianism remained part of the cultural heritage of the [[Iranian language]]-speaking world, in part as festivals and customs, but also because [[Ferdowsi]] incorporated a number of the figures and stories from the [[Avesta]] in his epic ''[[Shāhnāme]]'', which is pivotal to Iranian identity. One notable example is the incorporation of the Yazata [[Sraosha]] as an angel venerated within [[Shia Islam]] in Iran.<ref>{{Cite encyclopedia|url=http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/sraosa|title=SRAOŠA|encyclopedia=Encyclopaedia Iranica|access-date=13 July 2019|archive-date=1 August 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190801183300/http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/sraosa|url-status=live}}</ref>