HISTORICAL ANALYSIS OF ZOROASTRIAN TENDENCY TOWARDS BAHA’I FAITH IN QAJAR PERIOD

When Persia was conquered by the Muslims, the predominant religion of the Iranian people was Zoroastrianism. Over time, the followers of this religion decreased and during the Qajar period, Zoroastrians became a small minority. With the emergence of Babism and Baha’ism in Persia during the Qajar period, a large number of Zoroastrians Converted to the Baha’is. Although the Baha’i audience was initially Muslim and failed to attract Zoroastrians early on by Baha’i leaders, they were still joined by followers of Iran’s religious minorities. Jews and Zoroastrians were the most non-Muslims who converted to the Baha’i Faith. Although Baha’u’llah wrote most tablets to attract Christians, they did not convert to the Baha’i Faith. A few more times, and Zoroastrians and Jews generally did. This fortune was very valuable to the Baha’is and they saw it as a miracle and the legitimacy of the claim of their religion. Such issues at least led to the separation of the Baha’is from Islam. In the present study, we have examined the reasons for the Zoroastrian tendency towards Baha’ism. Zoroastrians hated everything related to Islam, but Baha’u’llah, with the help of his counselors and according to the needs of the Zoroastrian community, made claims such as Iranian descent that led Zoroastrians to embrace the Baha’i Faith. Zoroastrians were waiting for a messenger named Bahram Varjavand, Baha’u’llah claimed to be the Promised One. While the promised Zoroastrians were to appear glorious and powerful, Baha’u’llah was imprisoned by the Ottoman emperor, yet the Zoroastrians accepted him. Also, the traditional and conservative ideas of Zoroastrian priests persuaded the new generation to join the Baha’is. This research is organized in four chapters. In the first chapter, we have talked about generalities of the research. The second chapter deals with the situation of Zoroastrians in the Qajar period. In the third chapter, the Zoroastrian tendencies towards Baha’ism are examined. The final chapter is devoted to summarizing and concluding and suggestions for further researches.