Allah and Prophet Muhammad in Zoroastrian Texts

Category: Faith & Spirituality, Featured Topics: Allah, Prophet Muhammad (S) Views: 21385
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The Prophet Muhammad has been prophesied in many scriptures including the Bible, however some may not be aware of the ancient Persian scriptures of the ancient Persian faith of "Zoroastrianism", which is considered one of the oldest monotheistic religions before Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. 

If you understand "Perenniel Philosophy" of Islam then you will understand that from an Islamic perspective, all the previous faiths were Islam by a different name. The message of "The One God" has always been the same from the first Prophet Adam to the last Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon them all). 

Below are excerpts of places in the ancient Persian Zoroastrian scriptures and the Qur'an that mention the coming of Prophet Muhammad to restore the faith of God as well as making references to God: 

  1. "Allah is One". But His unity is not a numerical oneness, but is a personal attribute. Zoroaster, similarly, says, "He is one, not one in number." (Namah Shat Vakshur Zartusht Dasatir, p. 69.)

  2. "None is like Him." (The Quran, CXII:4.) Similarly, we find in Dasatir, "He has none like Him."

  3. "Nothing is like a likeness of Him". (The Quran, XLII:11) In Dasatir we similarly, find "Nothing resembles Him". (Dasatir)

  4. The Dasatir say: "He is without an origin or end, without a rival, an enemy, a prototype, a friend, father, mother, wife, son, an abode, a body or form and without color and scent." (Ibid) The Holy Qur'an has more beautifully put it: "God is He on Whom all depend. He begets not, nor is He begotten; none is like Him." (CXII:1-4)

  5. The Dasastir state that 'He gives life and existence to everything. The Qur'an confirms it, saying: "He created every thing." (VI :102)

  6. "Neither the eye can behold Him nor the power of thinking can conceive Him." (Dasatir, p. 68.) The Holy Qur'an says: "Vision comprehends Him not, and He comprehends (all) vision; and He is the Knower or subtleties, the Aware." (VI :104) The Qur'an has not merely made a statement, but has also advanced an argument. The Being that comprehends all vision and is, at the same time, Subtle and Infinite One, cannot be comprehended by the physical eye. He is the spirit and can be seen only with the spiritual eye. This fact is also stated in Dasatir "Tell the world that God cannot be seen with these (physical) eyes; some other eyes are required to behold Him." (Dasatir, p. 107.)

  7. Matter and Soul are not eternal like Him "Thou art the most ancient, there was none before thee nor shall anything remain after thee." (Dasatir, p. 66.) The Holy Qur'an has, in like manner, expressed: "He is the First and the Last and the Ascendant (over all) and the knower of hidden things." (LVII : 3)

  8. In Dasatir it is said "He is above all that you tan imagine of." The Holy Qur'an says: "His Is the most exalted state." (XXX: 27)

  9. "Don't be disappointed of His favors and kindness" (Dasatir. p. 33.) is the teaching of Dasatir. The Qur'an corroborates it by saying "Do not despair of the mercy of Allah." (XXXIX: 53.)

  10. Zoroaster said: "I am nearer to you than your own-self. "(Dasatir, p. 122) The Qur'an also says: "We are nearer to him than his life-vein (L:16.)

  11. Regarding angels, Zoroaster said "Angels are countless." (Dasatir,p.6.) In the Qur'an we find: "And none knows the hosts of your Lord but He Himself." (LXXIV: 31)

  12. God says unto Adam: "The Word of the Lord is that which the angel reveals to your heart." (Dasatir. p. 37) The Holy Qur'an verifies this truth saying:

    "For surely he (Gabriel) revealed it to your heart by Allah's command."' (II : 97)

  13. "When a man of good deeds," says Zoroaster, "leaves this body, I send him to the paradise." (Dasatir, p. 13) The Holy Qur'an says: "Surely (as for) those who believe and do good deeds, their place of entertainment shall be the gardens of Paradise." (XVIII :107)

  14. About paradise, Zoroaster says: "The dwellers of Paradise will get, through the kindness of the Lord, such a body that will neither wear out nor will get old nor anything dirty will enter it." (Dasatir, p. 9) Again he said: "They will live for ever in that joyful abode." (Ibid. p. 13) The teachings of the Qur'an are as follows: "The righteous shall live in the midst of gardens and fountains. Enter them in peace, secure. And we will root out whatever rancour is in their breasts- (they shall he) as brethren, on raised couches face to face. Toil shall not afflict them in it, nor shall they be ever ejected from it." (The Quran, XV:45-48.)

  15. "The dwellers of hell will live there for ever they will be tortured both with intense heat and intense cold." {Dasatir, p. 38). The chastisement of fire and intense cold is found particularly in the Zoroastrian religion and in no other principal religion. The Holy Qur'an also corroborates this fact: "They shall not taste therein cool nor drink, but boiling and intensely cold water." (LXXVIII : 24, 52.)

  16. Besides, we find in Dasatir, commandments regarding gentlemanly behaviour, marriage, chastity, fulfilment of promise, prohibition of wine, hair cutting of a young born, cleansing the body by taking bath, ablution, and Tayammum, etc.

  17. In the beginning of every namah of Dasatir, verses equivalent to Aaoozobillah and Bismillah are found, just as every chapter of the Holy Qur'an begins with "In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful."

  18. Three different ways of Divine revelation are described-in dream, in a state between dream and wakefulness and in wakefuluess. (Namah Shat Vakhshur Zartusht, 5-7.)

  19. Two kinds of injunctions decisive and allegorical are described as Parkhida and Aparkhida. (Ibid. 5)

  20. About prophet-hood, Zoroaster remarks: "A prophet is needed for enforcing such laws which everybody could abide by. Men are inter-dependent and they stand in need of Divine laws acceptable to all of them, which could root out tyranny, deceit and ill-feeling and give peace and harmony to the world. These lawgivers should be Divinely inspired men so that all could submit to them." (Ibid., 45-49)

  21. GOD Almighty addressed the Prophet Zoroaster in the Zend Avesta in the following terms: "The most powerful amongst the Companions of the Muslims, O Zaratushtra, are those of the men of the primitive law, or those of the 'Soeshyant' (not yet born), who are to restore the world." (Farvardin Yasht. XIII :17.)

    Just as the followers of Zoroaster, by walking in his footsteps, attained the height of glory, similarly, a nation of believers will come into existence at a later date who will give a new life to the world and its religions; and who will stand for the help of their Prophet in the most fearful battles.

  22. Again was said with more explicitness: "Whose name will be, the Victorious, 'Soeshyant' and whose name will be 'Astvat-ereta.' He will be Soeshyant (the beneficent one) because he will benefit the whole bodily world. He will be Astvat-ereta (he who makes the people rise up) because as a bodily creature and as a living being he will stand against the destruction of the bodily being to withstand the idolaters and the like and the errors of the Mazdaynians." (Ibid., XXVIII 129.)

There is no other prophet but the Prophet Mohammad on whom this prophecy applies with true appropriateness. His being a beneficent victorious is clearly illustrated from the treatment he meted out to his blood-thirsty opponents, after the fall of Mecca, whom he let go just by saying "There shall be no reproof against you this day." His name Mohammad (the praised one), his being a 'mercy for the worlds', while the preceding prophets were only a 'mercy unto their own people', and his correcting the errors of both the idolaters and the Mazdaynians,-are characteristic signs found in no other prophet save the Prophet of Arabia (peace and the blessings of Allah-be upon him)!

Babak Darvish is an Iranian-American activist, columnist, commentator, and technology specialist. He studied Islamic history, culture, and law from a number of Sunni, Shia, and Sufi scholars. He has lived and travelled in North America, Europe, and Asia. He can be contacted at  his blog:: www.babakdarvish.com.


  Category: Faith & Spirituality, Featured
  Topics: Allah, Prophet Muhammad (S)
Views: 21385

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Older Comments:
YUSUF91 said:
Zoroaster was a false prophet and Allah is not ahura mazda stop speaking wthout ilm. Proof is in ibn kathirs stories of the prophets. This is how Ibn Jarir tells their story in his History of Jerusalem. He said that Laharasab was a just king and diplomatic. The people, cheifs, and kings obeyed him, and he was gifted in the construction of cities, canals and institutions. When he grew too weak to rule, after more than one hundred, his son Bashtaasib ascended to the throne. During his reign the religion of Zoroastrianism (alMajusia) appeared. A man named (Zoroaster) (Zordahst) had been a companion of Jeremiah and had angered him, so Jeremiah cursed him. Zoroaster became a leper. He went to the land of Azerbaijan, joined Bashtaasib forced peolple to embrace it and killed many people who disobeyed him.
2019-02-21

YUSUF91 said:
Zoroastwr is a false prophet and Allah is not ahura mazda. Stop speaking wthout ilm. The proof is ibn kathirs stories of the prophets This is how Ibn Jarir tells their story in his History of Jerusalem. He said that Laharasab was a just king and diplomatic. The people, cheifs, and kings obeyed him, and he was gifted in the construction of cities, canals and institutions. When he grew too weak to rule, after more than one hundred, his son Bashtaasib ascended to the throne. During his reign the religion of Zoroastrianism (alMajusia) appeared. A man named (Zoroaster) (Zordahst) had been a companion of Jeremiah and had angered him, so Jeremiah cursed him. Zoroaster became a leper. He went to the land of Azerbaijan, joined Bashtaasib forced peolple to embrace it and killed many people who disobeyed him.
2019-02-21

YUSUF91 said:
Stop speaking without knowledge. Zoroaster was a false prophet and Allah is not ahura mazda the proof is in ibn kathirs stories of the prophets
2019-02-21

SHEIKH A. BAHMAN DEGHASTVALA FROM UK said:
This is heart-warming & helps remind us of the continuity of the message. In India, there is a saying, (paraphrasing it) > "Light is light, in whichever lamp it burns."
2011-02-21

HILAL SHAH FROM USA said:
Very informative article Mr. Darvish. However; I have one disagreement where you mentioned that "from an Islamic perspective, all the previous faiths were Islam by a different name". By reading this passage from your article, it is construde that all the names we find today for different religions are in fact devinely named. As much as I know, there is only one way of life that Allah chose for all of his creation, and that one is Islam. All of the other way of life we encounter today are the results of deviations from the only path. People who followed messengers to their true teachings, were Muslims. But when they decided to deviate from the true obedience to The Creator, they called themselves: Jews, Christians, Hindus, Budhist and so on
2011-02-21