Did Muslims Preserve or Destroy Persian Civilization?
① Persian language and civilization had always been under the influence of Semitic languages.
② The Pahlavi language lacked the intellectual capacity to promote advanced sciences.
③ Rather than destroying Persian civilization, the Arabs played a significant role in preserving it following the Islamic conquests.
① During the reign of Hisham ibn Abd al-Malik, the tales of Rustam and Isfandiyar and Bahram Chobin were translated into Arabic.
② The translation of Persian sciences continued during the Abbasid Caliphate, which helped safeguard many important intellectual treasures of Persian civilization.
① Muslims demonstrated tolerance toward the followers of the Zoroastrian religion, which allowed the Parsis to preserve their traditions and civilization.
Under the light of Islam, the Iranians entered a new scholarly world. Through the Arabic language, Iranians were granted the opportunity to progress in the sciences and arts, achieving notable success in academic fields.
① The impact of Islamic civilization awakened the intellectual and cognitive potential of the Iranians.
② The Arabic language preserved Persian knowledge and gave it a new lease on life.
❖ Introduction
Persian traditions have always referenced the grandeur of the Kayanian and Sasanian empires, highlighting their victories and civilization. Tales of Jamshid’s throne, his goblet, and royal lifestyle have been widely popular. However, some historians and literary figures argue that after conquering Iran, the Muslims destroyed its knowledge and arts. These claims, however, are more fictional than factual. To ascertain the truth of this accusation, we will examine historical evidence.❖ State of Iran After Islamic Conquests
When Islam conquered Iran, the country was already in a state of intellectual decline. During the final years of the Sasanian Empire, cultural and scholarly progress had come to a halt.① Persian language and civilization had always been under the influence of Semitic languages.
② The Pahlavi language lacked the intellectual capacity to promote advanced sciences.
③ Rather than destroying Persian civilization, the Arabs played a significant role in preserving it following the Islamic conquests.
❖ The Reality of Persian Knowledge
By the end of the Sasanian era, Persian language and script had become so deficient that Iranians were no longer able to properly read their own religious texts. The language of the Avesta was Aryan, yet the Iranian people soon lost the ability to understand it.❖ The Scholarly Contributions of the Arabs
After conquering Iran, the Arabs translated ancient Persian books into Arabic. As a result, Persian knowledge was preserved within the Islamic world. For example:① During the reign of Hisham ibn Abd al-Malik, the tales of Rustam and Isfandiyar and Bahram Chobin were translated into Arabic.
② The translation of Persian sciences continued during the Abbasid Caliphate, which helped safeguard many important intellectual treasures of Persian civilization.
❖ Muslims’ Conduct Toward the Persian Religion and Zoroastrian Scholars
Even after the Islamic conquest, Zoroastrianism and fire-worship continued to exist in Iran. According to historical sources such as Maqdisi and Ibn Hawqal, fire temples remained in Persia during the Islamic era.① Muslims demonstrated tolerance toward the followers of the Zoroastrian religion, which allowed the Parsis to preserve their traditions and civilization.
❖ The Favor of Muslims
Under the light of Islam, the Iranians entered a new scholarly world. Through the Arabic language, Iranians were granted the opportunity to progress in the sciences and arts, achieving notable success in academic fields.
① The impact of Islamic civilization awakened the intellectual and cognitive potential of the Iranians.
② The Arabic language preserved Persian knowledge and gave it a new lease on life.
