People of the book in Islam - Zoroastrians

[zoroaster]

Hello,

I'm an atheist with agnostic leanings and recently considering converting to Zoroastrianism. I understand the Islam has a concept of "people of the book" but apon Googling this matter this mainly refers to Jews and Christians.

Where do monotheistic Zoroastrians stand in line with Islam?

I found this verse and please forgive me if I misunderstand or misquote -

Verily, those who believe (in God and in His Messenger Muhammad), and those who are Jews, and the Sabians, and the Christians, and the Magians, and those who worship others besides God, truly, God will judge between them on the Day of Resurrection. Verily! God is over all things a Witness. (Quran 22:17)

The Magians as I understand were the Zoroastrians? These are the three wise men who visited Jesus on his birth according to Christian Scripture.

If one converts to Zoroastrianism from atheism - prays 5 times a day according to Zoroastrian duty, lives a life of good deeds, good works, and good thoughts.

Where do they stand in Islam?
Does Islam acknowledge Zoroaster as a prophet like Jesus and Noah?
Are Zoroastrians considered people of the book?
Why does Islam make such a mention of Christians given their semi Tri-theistic doctrines and no one ever mentions the Zoroastrians given the many similarities?
What does it mean "God will judge **between** them on the Day of Resurrection"?

Im not trying to proselytize Zoroastrianism - im just doing "faith research" if you will. At the moment im an atheist/agnostic. So far Zoroastrianism is my best fit.

[zoroaster]

Hi - im a bit confused to how this forum works?

I got this emailed to me and kind of expected it to be as a reply on this forum thread? The reply in my email read -

"Zoroastrian is an ancient Persian religion. The people of the book are of the more modern Abrahamic religions the Jews and Christians. Even though there is a very heavy influence of ancient Egyptian and Greek throughout the Abrahamic ones including Islam. The key is to not have a name for the supreme God as no one knows His name and don't bother worshipping lesser gods as they can't help you with the wrath of the supreme one. The supreme god in the Zoroastrian religion is Zurvan god of the time space continuum. But if this is false and the supreme God's name is something else then you are in trouble. So in Islam you are safe because there is no defining of the real identity of God or of His nature, only His message"

The people of the book are of the more modern Abrahamic religions the Jews and Christians

Right - but doesn't the Quran say in the verse above that the Magi and Sabians are included in this too? I don't know who the Sabians are. But surely the Magians are the Zoroastrians? I also understood that God sent prophets before Abraham such as Noah right?

These statements seem in contradiction -

The key is to not have a name for the supreme God as no one knows His name
But if this is false and the supreme God's name is something else then you are in trouble

Islam has a name for God. They say Allah. Christians say God. Zoroastrians might have their own name. Isn't the name irrelevant? Specially from an Islamic context given the Quran verse above?

The point is one should worship "the one" or what ever you call want to define it as. The supreme deity.

Like I said Im an atheist with agnostic leanings. I have made a few calls to Zoroastrian religious institutions and they seem rather like the Jews - reluctant to accept converts. Why I went onto this forum I guess what to get a greater perspective on how Zoroastrians fit into Islam.

Or put it another way - Given the Quran verse I quoted.... how possibly can we say they are *NOT* people of the book. Maybe I don't understand all the nuance in regards to "people of the book". So another way of asking the same question - how possibly can we say they *DON'T* worship the same diety as the Muslims in light of this verse.

Thanks.

[Scimitar]

re: people of the book.

torah (corrupted)

injeel (gospel of jesus pbuh which doesnt exist anymore, and the new testament is contradictory in so many places and was compiled by a pagan pragmatist by including books written by anonumous authors)

psalms (given to king david but not preserved in full)

barring these there are no other people's who are referred to as the people of the book.

personally, my belief is that the original zoroastrian religion was monotheistic but with a dualistic nuance which wad often confused through the ages. very little is known about zoroaster and much speculation abounds regarding him... the idea that zoroastrianism was often at times interpeted to be dualistic is something which negates its purity on theology. thus I say, the religion excludes itself naturally from the abrahamic traditions.

Scimi

that's it bro.

[greenhill]

I think I get your question. The problem is a cloudy one. My lack of knowledge on zoroaster and what is really known about it. This is one point. The other is, about the people of the book.

We tend to get hung up on things. Stuck. Many prophets were sent each had a duty to do. They all taught primary rule of tauhid - the Oneness of Allah swt. along with correcting the conduct of his people. Selected few were given further "inspiration" which became 'books', a collection sermons and stuff. But the final book is where it's at. The Quran. It is the guide. A lifetime of study. Will never have an updated version. Why choose something vague?

Islam is specific. Allah existed, then He created everything and mankind. He sent the prophets, confirming the messages of the previous ones. The message is telling the world there is a history to the human race. The Quran describes the people of that time. The Jews. They too have their account of things. As do the Christians, described also in the Quran. It's version shows continuity of the message, and the rebellious nature of man against the message.

So, we come to another point you brought up, His name. If we can see the singular source of the message for mankind, we cannot be ignorant of the Author, Grandest Master, and it cannot be any other than that Who describes Himself in a book unchanged and available for anyone to discover. How can we take not knowing His name lightly?

Islam offers the best description of Ilah.

(I'm typing on my phone and I can only see 3 lines at a time. Really not sure of the flow of this post). :embarrass


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[The-Deist]

Surah Maidah (The Table Spread)
Chapter 5 of The Holy Quran, verse 3 5:3 This day I have perfected for you your religion and completed My favor upon you and have approved for you Islam as religion.
That means that yes The Jews, and the Sabians, and the Christians, and the Magians were right, BUT as the verse above states that the religion has finally been perfected, so Islam is the last true religion. Also in Islam we have alot of sources for problems, solutions etc. Sunnah (The ways of The Prophet Peace and Blessing be upon Him) the one you said (Muhammad) and he was the last of the Prophets and he had the last of the messages meaning he was the one who the perfect religion was sent to. And then we have the Quran the word of God himself. It has stories of Nations before and advise and more gonna leave the rest of you to explore yourself since the Quran is a book of 114 Chapters. Some longer, some shorter.
I hope I helped zoroaster :D
And May Allah (God) guide you. Aameen