Abstract:
Among the topics discussed in religious studies is the mutual influence of religions and denominations. This article seeks to present a review of the idea of the influence of Zoroastrianism on the Shiite School. Some Sunni authors, especially Wahhabis, have argued that some of the beliefs and teachings of the Shiite school have been influenced by Zoroastrianism. This article describes and reviews such teachings. The Sunni authors’ most important reason is the relative similarity between some Shiite and Zoroastrian beliefs. In some cases, they have confused the Imamiyya Shiites and the Ghalian sects and attributed the Ghalian teachings to the Shiites. Interestingly, neither Zoroastrians nor Shiites believe and confirm some teachings mentioned as cases of Shiite borrowing from Zoroastrianism. Using the descriptive-analytical method, this article aims at defending the Shiite school against the assumption of adoption and appropriation of Zoroastrianism.
Machine summary:
Henry Corbin, a French philosopher and Iranologist who had scientific discussions with Allameh Tabataba'i, says: Until now, the scientific information that Orientalists have obtained from Islam, the studies they have conducted in Islamic books and works, and the contact they have had with the scholarly figures of Islam, have all been within the Sunni environment and have not exceeded the views and beliefs of Sunni scholars and their writings and works; and even in identifying the different Islamic schools and explaining their principles and foundations, they have referred to Sunni figures and their works and collected their theories; and if occasionally an Orientalist has, for example, come to Iran, and due to reliance on the products of others, has not paid attention to the truths of the Shiite religion and has only contented itself with researching the general and social status of the religion, as reflected by the common people, or has obtained information from non-expert individuals!
One of the probable reasons for the origin of such doubts about Shiism is that critics, in order to identify the Shiite school of thought, refer to the writings of Sunnis or Orientalists, and what does not occur to their minds is to refer to Shiite books; whereas the subject of discussion is Shiism, and above all, their books should be referred to; Second, although what Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab said is correct—that the Ghulats believe in reincarnation—his claim that the Magians also believe in reincarnation is incorrect; because the Magian religion, like other divine religions, believes in the afterlife, and in the texts / Zoroastrian texts also contain many evidences that recount the belief in the afterlife among Zoroastrians (see: Hajati Shurki, 1397, pp.
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