Patrick Gillespie

Maia Conrad
History of World Civilization I
July 19, 2015
A Juxtaposition of Zoroastrianism and Islam
An effective methodology for analyzing Zoroastrianism and Islam is to juxtapose, or
compare and contrast, the two religions as means of better understanding the foundation of their
belief systems. In looking at each faiths respective literature, I hope to find a commonality
between the two that I can use to relate to the mindset of people in early civilizations. In studying
these belief systems through which early people developed their perspectives on the world, I
seek to uncover how much change has occurred in humanitys way of thinking over centuries of
development.
In examining a Zoroastrian hymn from the Gathas titled "Zarathustra on Good and Evil,"
it is apparent that the concept of free will is a critical aspect of Zoroastrian belief. An early stanza
reads In the beginning there were two primal spirits, Twins spontaneously active, These are the
Good and the Evil, in thought, and in word, and in deed. Between these two, let the wise choose
aright. Be good, not base!1 The crux of this stanza is that humanity is presented an opportunity
to choose between two spirits, one righteous and one evil. These two spirits are representative of
the choice each person has to pursue a virtuous or sinful path in life, which results from free will.
Ahura Mazda, the Zoroastrian creator, is pleased by the people who choose the righteous path in
1

Bentley, Jerry H. "Zarathustra on Good and Evil." Traditions and Encounters: A Brief Global History. Vol. 1. New York: McGraw Hill, 2014.
Print.

life, as demonstrated through good thoughts, words, and deeds. In return for their integrity and
good faith, Ahura Mazda offers those deemed as 'good' the invaluable reward of eternal
salvation. Conversely, those people who stray from the path to righteousness by freely choosing
a life of evil will forever be denied heavenly paradise. I agree with the Zoroastrian principle of
free will because all of life's complexities can be simply boiled down to choosing between right
and wrong. Similar to the idea of karma, I believe that people who choose to do the right thing
will be rewarded for doing so, while the people who choose to do the wrong thing will
consequently be punished. It is interesting to me that despite many of the changes that humanity
has incurred over centuries, choosing between right and wrong has always and will always be a
central feature of the human experience.
Moving forward in analysis of the Muslim document, "The Quran on Allah and His
Expectations of Humankind," it is evident that Islam differs from Zoroastrianism in teachings
regarding moderation. In the text, it appears that Allah teaches his people to live with the upmost
sense of moderation, which is a sentiment Zoroastrianism does not stress as heavily. One line
states that men and women who guard their private partsfor them God has forgiveness and a
great reward,2 which seems like an extreme demand for Allah to ask of his people.
Zoroastrianisms God, Ahura Mazda, actually celebrates and encourages humanity to indulge in
lifes bountiful pleasures, including sex. Although Islam differs from Zoroastrianism in this
sense, the two religions do share a similar opinion in regards to Gods judgement of humanity.
Like Allahs offering of forgiveness and great reward mentioned earlier, Zoroastrians believe
that their souls will be either rewarded or punished by Ahura Mazda in the afterlife. In both

Bentley, Jerry H. "The Quran on Allah and His Expectations of Humankind." Traditions and Encounters: A Brief Global History. Vol. 1. New
York: McGraw Hill, 2014. Print.

religions, moral behavior in the current life merits fulfillment and happiness in the next life.
Allah and Ahura Mazda preach that obtaining this precious reward of eternal life should be
humanitys sole priority while living on earth. Both Muslims and Zoroastrians are similarly
judged based on their use of free will for either good or evil. Free will is each persons
opportunity to earn reward in the afterlife, yet many people neglect humility and virtue,
warranting Gods harsh judgement and consequent punishment. Many people today do not
identify with a particular religious practice, yet putting the threat of Gods judgement aside,
humanity still falls victim to choosing sin and neglecting the consequences that follow.
At the core of the Zoroastrian and Islamic faith, there is a shared belief that the individual
has sole responsibility over his or her fate. I believe that these ancient religious principles have
merit today as people should be accountable for their words and actions as well as the
consequences that ensue. Life is full of choices, and the choices a person makes is representative
of not only character, but what people expect the consequences of their choices will bring.
People who generally strive to do the right thing have an opportunity for self-fulfillment and
enjoyment in their life because they understand the importance of bettering themselves and the
world around them. When people make poor choices and act with destructive intensions it is not
only a detriment to others but a disservice to themselves. People in early civilizations lived with
the perception that they were under constant watch of God, and that even if they did not receive
punishment for their wrongdoings on earth, Gods punishment was waiting for them in full force
upon death. People today do not live in such fear of Gods wrath, which is the main reason why
people think they can avoid retribution for their actions. It is not feasible to expect that everyone
in modern society upholds a religious obligation to act morally, and there is no reason why
someone should be subject to criticism based on whether or not they practice religion at all. I do,

however, think it is prudent for people today to operate with the mindset that if there is a God
waiting to pass judgement, that you have lived an ethical life that will gain Gods approval.

List of Works Cited

Bentley, Jerry H. "The Quran on Allah and His Expectations of Humankind." Traditions
and Encounters: A Brief Global History. Vol. 1. New York: McGraw Hill, 2014. Print.

Bentley, Jerry H. "Zarathustra on Good and Evil." Traditions and Encounters: A Brief
Global History. Vol. 1. New York: McGraw Hill, 2014. Print.