MUHAMMAD (Peace Be Upon Him) IN THE PARSI SCRIPTURE
Verily
We have sent thee (Muhammad) in truth as a bearer of glad tidings and as a
Warner: And there never was a people without a Warner having lived among them
(in the past). {Qur'ân 35:24}
For We assuredly sent amongst every People an apostle (with the Command)
"Serve Allah and eschew Evil": Of the people were some whom Allah
guided and some on whom Error became inevitably (established). So travel through
the earth and see what was the end of those who denied (the Truth). {Qur'ân
16:36}
There is no compulsion in religion. The right direction is henceforth
distinct from error. And he who rejecteth false deities and believeth in Allah
hath grasped a firm handhold which will never break. Allah is Hearer, Knower. {Qur'ân
2:256}
The Epistle of Sasan I in Dasatir contains the prophecy about Prophet
Muhammad. Sasan I was a reformer of the Zoroastrian religion. It is believed
that this Epistle is a part of the teachings of Prophet Zoroaster, to which
Sasan I added his explanatory notes. Some scholars have suggested that the word
‘Dasatir’ means ten (das) parts (tir) while others contend that this word is
derived from Dasatur, meaning religious law. The Zoroastrians are also known as
‘Magians’ and ‘Fire Worshipers.’
The Epistle of Sasan I describes future events at a time when Zoroastrians will
have forsaken their religious practices. The English translation of the Epistle
of Sasan I is presented below.
“When the Persians will do such deeds, a man from among the Arabs will be born
whose followers shall overthrow and dissolve the kingdom and religion of the
Persians. And the arrogant people (Persians) will be subjugated. Instead of the
temple of fire and the house of idols they will see the House of Abraham without
any idols as their Qibla.
“And they (Muslims) will be a mercy to the worlds. And they will capture the
places of temples of fire, Madain (Ctesiphon), nearby lands, Tus and Balkh, and
other eminent and sacred places (of Zoroastrians). And their leader (Prophet
Muhammad) will be an eloquent man whose words and message will be clear and
far-reaching.”
The word by word translation of the Epistle of Sasan I is given below. The text
of this Epistle is taken from Dasatir published by Mulla Pheroze during the
reign of Shah Nasiruddeen Kachar of Persia. Mulla Pheroze lived in Bombay
(India) and he was an eminent scholar of Pahlavi, Zend, Persian, and Arabic
languages. He consulted with several famous Zoroastrians priests to authenticate
his translation. The original text is in Pahlavi.
There are many prophecies in
Dasatir and in Zend Avesta, the other sacred book of the Zoroastrians. The word
‘Astvat-ereta’ in the prophecies means ‘the praised one’ which is
Muhammad in Arabic. Some prophecies are found in Farvardin Yasht XIII:17 and
XXVIII:129, Zamyad Yasht: 95, and Atash Nyayish: 9. More from Dasatir in
the Original Text
References:
1. Abdul Haq Vidyarthi, "Muhammad in World Scriptures," Adam
Publishers, 1990. (includes chapters on Zoroastrian and Hindu Scriptures)
2. A.H.Vidyarthi and U. Ali, "Muhammad in Parsi, Hindu & Buddhist
Scriptures," IB.
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