Din Mas’ala, A Sample of the Defensive and Passive Expression of Zoroastrian Theology

In 1238-1243 AD, during the reign of Mohammad Vali Mirza in Yazd, the Zoroastrians were accused of blasphemy and infidelity. And finally, the Qajar prince asked them questions about the basis of religion and in this way, their religious legitimacy was proven and cleared of accusation. Mobed Khodabakhsh son of Forud, Dastur Kheikhosro son of Khodabakhsh and Herbed Jamasp were the ones who answered the questions. This important event led the Zoroastrian community to formulate and sustain these questions and answers. In 1207 Y., Herbed Khodabakhsh son of HerbedJamasp Mubarake composed them in a treatise entitled Din Mas’ala (Problem of The Religion). A manuscript of it, No. 358, is kept in the ManekjiCollection of the Cama Library. This treatise was published in Mumbai in the year 1949 AD by the efforts of Soroush Azarmi son of Tirandaz. The defense and passive expression of Zoroastrian theology comprise a significant portion of Zoroastrian texts in Persian. This texts begin with the famous treatise of ‘Ulama-ye Islam at late sixth century AH/ Y. The authors of the above texts are trying to introduce the Zoroastrian religion in a way as there is no difference between it and Islam. In this article, the concept of passive and defensive theology is discussed and introduced on the basis of the mentioned treatise.