There is no doubt that the Safavids forced Shi’ism upon most Iranian, what about the early Muslims who conquered Persia in during the Caliphate of ‘Omar Ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him)?
It is widely believed amongst Iranians (including religious Shi’ites) that Arabs somehow enforced Islam upon one of the strongest empires in that the world has ever seen. They seem to have forgotten that prior to the Islamic conquest of Persia, it was the Persian empire that conquered and occupied vast amount lands, including the lands of non-Iranian people, from Egypt right into the cradle of the Arabs, the Yemen. Arab land. As a matter of fact, the Persian Sassanid Empire occupied the entire eastern lands of Arabia, parts of Hijaz, Oman and Yemen.
Conquering lands was the norm of the time back then, and in the case of the Muslims, the students, disciples (Sahabah) of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon them), then there are various reports that caliph ‘Omar (may Allah be pleased with him) himself wasn’t keen on getting into any confrontation with the Sassanian empire. It was the Sassanian empire (like the Roman one) that couldn’t tolerate a united Arabia and started mobolising its armies in Iraq. The Muslims had no choice but to face an approaching enemy first, fearlessly:
Rabi’a ibn ‘Amir(radiyallahu ‘anhu) went to the leader of the Persians. The leader asked him, “Why are you coming to our lands? If you are coming for money then we will pay everyone of you a salary so leave us alone.” But Rabi’a said, “That is not why we are here. We are sent to free the creation from being slaves of one another to being slaves of Allah the Creator of the creation and from the oppression of religion to the justice of Islam and we want to deliver people from the narrowness of this world to the vastness of this world and the Afterlife.
According to Bernard Lewis:
“[Muslims conquests] have been variously seen in Iran: by some as a blessing, the advent of the true faith, the end of the age of ignorance and heathenism; by others as a humiliating national defeat, the conquest and subjugation of the country by foreign invaders. Both perceptions are of course valid, depending on one’s angle of vision… Iran was indeed Islamized, but it was not Arabized. Persians remained Persians……the Iranian contribution to this new Islamic civilization is of immense importance. The work of Iranians can be seen in every field of cultural endeavor, including Arabic poetry, to which poets of Iranian origin composing their poems in Arabic made a very significant contribution. In a sense.”
The conversation of the people of the Iranian plateau to Islam was, however, a gradual one, and even 300 years after the downfall of the Sasanians there were sizeable Zoroastrian communities in Iran. the Persians were “forced to convert to Islam and attack by “Omar” is nothing but a lie.
Never were the Iranian people FORCED to convert to Islam. That is why it took the Iranian nation 300 years to have a substantial Muslim population!!!.
The first 100 years of the Islamic invasion their were no Muslims except amongst the Arab populations. The only time Iranians were “forced” to convert to
anything was during the Sassanids where many were forced to convert to Zoroastrianism (or were killed for leaving Zoroastrianism) and again during Safavid times when they were forced to change their sect from Islam (i.e. Sunnah) to 12’er Shi’ism.
Never was any part of the Iranian population “co’erced” or “forced” to convert to Islam. They didn’t even have any incentive toconvert the first 200 years (for taxation was double to become muslim, than to stay your previous religion) So again, if you anyone treis to talk about the “history” of Iran and about Omar (RA), don’t make up lies and propoganda to suit your needs. You will become as low as
the people you are trying to defeat.
In fact many Arab tribes, among them Christians, Zoroastrians and other pagans were either allies of the Sassanian empires or actually part of their army. It is interesting to notice that there was much cooperation between Sassanids and non-Muslim Arabs during the Muslim conquest period, which shows that those wars were not Arab vs. Persian, rather Muslim vs. non-Muslims. For instance in 633-634, Khaled ibn Walid leader of the Muslim Army, defeated a force of the Sassanids’ Arab auxiliaries from the tribes of “Bakr”, “‘Ejl”, “Taghleb” and “Namer” at “‘Ayn Al-Tamr”.
sonsofsunnah.com 
Fuck all you fucking sunni moslems! Fuck you all dickheads!
So so happy to see ur bastard palestinian shithead brothers are massacared by the jews!!! Peace to Isreal!!! DOWN WITH ALL THE ARABS AND ALL THE FUCKIN’ SUNNI MOSLEMS!
Please read the history of persia correctly before you write things like this. Persia was not even close to be as big as it was during the Achaemenid Empire, when the muslims attackt. Alexander the Great had destroid the entire empire. So, yes the muslims did force islam in to Persia. But its true that they did not do much resistant, but that was because they had no choice. Why else would they burn the Great libery of Persia, where everythin that made persia, “Persia” was.
Well, a good number of major historians (western ones, let alone Muslim ones) disagree with you and also spare us with the ‘burning of the library (not ‘libery), for this is a lie with no authenticity, not everything in historical books is authentic, we Muslims have chains of narration for these matters. And as for you downplaying the power of the Sassanid empire back then, well, nobody claimed that the Sassandids were at the peak of their strenght but only a lunatic would disagree that they were still an EMPIRE being confronted buy a tiny bunch of (as Persian racists call them) of wild Arabs (the Prophet’s companions). Here some FACTS for you making it clear (at least to the readers) that the Arabs (in terms of military capacity) were NOTHING compared to the Sassanid Majoos, yet ALLAH was with the Muslims:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_al-Q%C4%81disiyyah
And next time inform yourself better, for Iranians took over 300 (!!!) years to become majority Muslim after the Muslim conquest, this is because they were NOT forced to become Muslim. They stayed Majoos (Zoroastrians) and nobody touched them, hence we still got Zoroastrians inside Iran including ancient temples and their scriptures. Matter of fact is that the majority of Iranians by time did convert to Islam because Islam is superior than anything else.
Iranians remained zorastrian for 300 years because that’s how long it took for the invading Arabs’ Jizya and land tax system to “force” most city dwelling Iranians to adopt Islam and Arabic language to survive in the then Arab dominated lands of Iran. First it was in the cities, and then as the cities adopted Arabic and Islam due to their desire to avoid these unfair taxes by the Umayyad dynasty, then eventually it filtered into villages too. That’s why it took 300 years. There was a lot of resistance, such as Babak Khoramdin’s rebellion among others in the Tabaristan area that was a bit more isolated and rainy so the desert Arabs could not invade it for years. It is well known in history that the evil Hajjaj Ibn Yousuf of the Ummayad dynasty was a vehement anti Persian (culture and language, not just the zorastrian religion). Read the facts on Wikipedia under “Islamization of Iran”.
Erik, you are yet another person who proves that non-muslims are blinded by their hatred of Islam. If the Muslims wanted to force the Zoroastrians into Islam, then they could have easily achieved this at the point of a sword within a few years. Why on earth would they use Jizya and land tax to force people into Islam when this process takes hundreds of years, as you yourself admitted when you said “Iranians remained zorastrian for 300 years because that’s how long it took for the invading Arabs’ Jizya and land tax system to “force” most city dwelling Iranians to adopt Islam…”. I know you are a non-muslim, but surely not even non-muslims are stupid enough to believe that the arabs chose to forcefully convert zoroastrians using taxes, instead of using the more efficient and quick method of forcing people at the point of a sword.
It seems the non-muslims have realised that their original accusations of “forced conversions at the point of a sword” have been refuted by both muslim and non-muslim historians. That is why they now try to fool people by saying ridiculous things like “Iranians remained zorastrian for 300 years because that’s how long it took for the invading Arabs’ Jizya and land tax system to “force” most city dwelling Iranians to adopt Islam”. What a joke indeed!
Real Persians believe in Ahura Mazda, not Allah. Consider yourself an Arab if you go to mosque or read the kuron.
^
Rubbish. All great Persian scientists were Muslim and the MAJORITY were SUNNIS. In comparision, there are barely any major Persian Zoroastrian scientists known to world. Islam is a religion you fool not a racist. You pathetic kafir.
>implying that calling me a kafir isn’t a compliment for me.
All this arabic mad. Enjoy being a puppet to the west (if you’re syrian or lebanese do ignore this comment) ya lizard eater : P
I am a Persian Sunni like Saadi Shirazi, Hafiz and other giants that Sunni Persia produced (compare that to your Sassanian Persia that produced no one compared to the giants I’ve mentioned).
>Persian
>Muslim
>Even more, Sunni
This aspiring arab. Thing is, it’s not islam that made them great, it was the great REAL persian culture that was PRE islamic.
Let me ask you something, do you celebrate char shambeh soori with the proper fire rituals?
REAL Persian culture? Well, then name me 2 major scientists of the Sassanian era! It was the SUNNI era (Islamic) era of Persia that made the likes of Saadi Shirazi, Sibawayh, Tabari etc. emerge! And no I don’t celebrate FIRE rituals, that’s as stupid as the PRE-ISLAMIC A-R-A-B rituals that Islam has forbidden.
It took 300 hundreds years to convert all Persian into Muslim because Persian culture was thousands years old and they resist like we did in India. Fortunately, we are able to resit them and they were not
Resist what? They were NOT forced to convert, that is why ANCIENT Zoroastrian temples are still to be found in the heart of Iran such as Yazd. The big minds of Persian DID convert to Islam and hence (Sunni) Islamic Persia produced the BIGGEST Iranian minds of Persia’s history.
Thing is Persia would have had all these scientific discoveries, and most likely even MORE, had the arab hordes not attacked a persia that had JUST HAD a 30 year war against the roman threat! Those sneaky little unhonourable Bedouins, study zoroasterianism and proper persian culture you traitor. I hope your bones get buried in the heart of the saudi desert.
You Iranians have no real culture or pride to speak of; if your ancestors welcomed Islam, why so many flee to India or plead Tang Emperor for military aid? I cannot imagine an East Asia bowing to Muhammad
i fully agree. the majority of persian scientists were muslims. islam brought an era of peace and prosperity and major cultural and scientific achievements happened during this era. the invasion was about liberating and not oppression. i am also a shia and i find your hatred of shia to be a little disrepectful =( although i do see your point. i too wish that all muslims were united
This is nothing but a propaganda
Islam was forced into Persia
It took them 300years because that’s how long it took Arabs to turn everybody into Islam don’t forget after the invasion of Iran Arabs ruled on Persia for hundreds of years meanwhile forcing everybody to convert into Islam
It’s good to read the history before writing such none sense bogus
Have u read their books? They dont believe in Islam! Avicina, birooni, molla sadraans so on! Umar khayam was even a man who didnt believe in god!
Go to Mecca. Seriously m8, get out of Iran and considering yourself Persian or Iranian you Arab lizard eater.
There are many Persian scientists who existed before Islam, just youtube some of it and stop being lazy.
Here’s two videos I found EASILY from a quick youtube search.
Enjoy your ISIS lifestyle you semitic ARAB! Sure maybe some of the scientists came out of Islamic Persia, but this is what I like to call COINCIDENCE.
Btw do you abstain from drinking any alcohol? I’m just sort of curious. I would assume yes and its because of Allah yea? God, do you even understand the purpose of drinking wine (discovered in Persia along with alcohol fermentation)? It’s for men to gather together, get a little bit hazy and BLURT things out because lying is a number one sin in Persian culture.
Look at all your Sunni states now. Look at Saudi Arabia and the militants. Ha. Oh what? They’re not following real Sunni doctrine? HA! They are the Arabs who invented it, they would know best how to follow their OWN, SEMITIC, JEWISH INSPIRED RELIGION!!!
Is it? There are many? Name me three and I will name you THRITY Persian SUNNI scientists who changed the world. Islam is for all, Persian Kaleh Pache eaters and desert Arab lizard eaters, you racist bigot.
Also, we don’t support ISIS
Yes, I know, but nevertheless they were brought up in an Islamic environment, and other Persian giants such as Saadi Shirazi were certainly not just Muslims but pious and practicing Sunnis (just like Sibawayh etc.).
Nope, Arabs only ruled for 300 years, so stop lying, also once the Arabs left the Persians did anything but leaving Islam, they started their OWN PERSIAN SUNNIS empire sticking proudly to Islam and Sunnah. This is a reality, read it and stop fooling yourself:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samanid_Empire
You see, I did read history, it seems that you don’t.
“I cannot imagine an East Asia bowing to Muhammad”
1. Muslims bow to GOD only, not to Buddha like you poltheists
2. There are over 200 millions Muslims in EAST Asia.
Good night (or shall I say good morning?)
Nothing but assumptions. If what you say is true name me 3 major and influencial Persian scientists that the world knew before Islam came to Persia. There is none, because Islam blessed (Sunni Persia) with scientists.
Read the history of Persia before and after Islam then you will find out when Persia have real scientist.
I’m persian dude and I should say some part of history isn’t clear.I have searched a lot in net ans library.and L should say nobody at that time want their religion and persian( Persian people)did what they could do to stop arabs. Eg:in Tabarestan they didn’t let arabs to enter the area but after peace when they let Arabs in ARABS KILL ALL THE MEN IN THE AREA.
Islam is a bankrupt religion. One can see that in the conducts of the neo-sunni-wahabi ISIS and Islamic Republic. Waiting for the days that the true Persians men and WOMEN will rise up and throw away the chains and shackles of the Shia and sunni sick mentality out of our beloved country.
You are wrong mate, Islam is a shining start, Islam is and will always be an integral part of of the majority population of Iran. Who the hell are you to decide otherwise? You laughing stocks can’t even produce ONE major significant scientist in Pre-Islamic Persia whilst we Sunni Persians have contributed Persia with over 90% of scientists (al-Khawarizmi etc.), poets (Saadi Shirazi etc.) and so on, we have shaped Persia and the only thing that shackles is your ugly nationalism and Anti-Islam bigotry. As a matter of fact Islam is the fastest growing religion in the world and guess what, Shi’ism is not part of Islam hence even inside Iran the number of Sunnis is growing and many Iranians accept Islam and Sunnah. This of course boils your blood, but it’s a fact:
https://sonsofsunnah.com/2014/04/18/the-rise-of-persian-salafism/
https://sonsofsunnah.com/2014/05/22/more-conversions-to-sunnism-in-ahwaz-the-impotent-ayatullats-see-their-last-chance-by-forcing-people-into-shia-rituals/
Tabaristanis are not Persians, they are an Iranic people but not Persian. Yes, in war you kill people who oppose you just like your Persian Empire slaughtered anyone who opposed them, or do you think the ARAB who were FIRST attacked AND occupied by the Sassanians (all the way to Yemen, the motherland of all Arabs!) happily wanted to be ruled over by Persians? That’s life and politics back then, conquer and be conquered, stop being a pussy.
You poor man, I did, now you name me few scientists in Pre-Islamic Persia. I mean a few who changed the world like the PERSIAN SUNNI MUSLIM ones (trust me, you will find no one ….).
First of all, thank you for your account of some aspects of Persian history. Second of all, for a sunni muslim, who is supposed to be from the right religion, and follow the right path, you aren’t adressing your commentators with respect, and you mention shi’ism in a derogatory way. I thought true muslims were supposed to be peaceful and respectful of other human beings?
Anyway, to the point. Many of the Sunni poets that you mention, were Sufi. They didn’t care about Ulema. And they are syncretistic with pre-Islamic ideas from Iran and Greece.
Second of all, your main point seems to be that the greatness of a religion can be measured by the amount of high science and literature it produces. Since Iranians produced more science and literature during their Islamic era (even though a great deal of them were non-muslims or sufi), this provides credit to Islam that its environment sparked this. By these criteria, the Greeks, who made much mathematics, literature, some science, and loads of philosophy without islam, and the Chinese likewise, they could be argued to be a better environment, especially since they had almost nothing to start with, whereas the Iranians in the Islamic era, had at least Greek works to build on. However, after the reformation of the Christians in Europe, they made so much new science, music, philosophy, engineering, etc., that one could argue that these “crazy” people who believe that Jesus is actually God (bidah), is a MUCH better environment than an Islamic environment. And since then, the muslim world has basically given us shit, while the Christian and largely atheist (scientists in the protestant countries tend to be atheist) people make the amount and contribution of the Iranians in the Islamic era to seem trivial. Of course, it’s not, there was some important work, but it wasn’t that much more than the Greeks gave them opportunity to. Count the number of scientists that actually provided us with something in the Islamic era of a thousand years, and then count just 200 years of scientists in Europe after the Catholic church didn’t have power over northern Europe.
I think it is fair to say, that the few contributions that Iranians made during the Islamic era, could have been done the same, or even better, had it been a protestant christian rule in Iran, or Greek rule for a longer time. Thus, the success of some scientists in Iran during the Islamic era had little to do with the specific “greatness” of Islam. By those criteria, Islam is much lower than Greek polytheism, and much much much much much much much x 400 times lower than protestant christianity.
The car you drive, the long life you enjoy, the airplanes you travel with, most advanced instruments, book-printing that allowed mass literacy, hygienical knowledge, medicine, surgery, and basically 95% of the stuff we have today, are either made by people who live in protestant christian countries, catholic countries, or Israel, and NOT by muslim countries, zoroastrian countries, hindu countries, buddhist countries, orthodox christian countries, etc.
If you want to make the point that science became better in Iran BECAUSE of muslims, and not because of some other factors, then you have to bow down and say that the west is better than all muslim countries BECAUSE of protestant christianity.
Hi Sm ….
Thank you for your comment, I’ll address the important points:
‘Second of all, for a sunni muslim, who is supposed to be from the right religion, and follow the right path, you aren’t adressing your commentators with respect, and you mention shi’ism in a derogatory way. I thought true muslims were supposed to be peaceful and respectful of other human beings?
Respecting other human beings doesn’t mean to respect other ideologies or religions. It’s the right of an American in his country to believe that Islam is evil, if this is what he concludes then it’s his business. Same for us as Muslims. According to orthodox Sunni islam, Imamite Shi’ism is heresy and founded by a Jew (Ibn Saba’), that’s our belief and our right to believe so and we will believe so in a million years, Inshaallah.
‘Anyway, to the point. Many of the Sunni poets that you mention, were Sufi. They didn’t care about Ulema. And they are syncretistic with pre-Islamic ideas from Iran and Greece.’
Very weak point, it seems you are not familiar with Islam at all. So what they were Sufis? Not all forms of Sufism are rejected in Islam, in fact even the likes of Ibn Taymiyyah and Ibn Qayyim were Sufis! Sufis are Sunni Muslims so were the absolute majority of the Iranian poets, they are part of the SUNNI IRANIAN heritage not Shia heritage (let alone non-Islamic one).
‘Second of all, your main point seems to be that the greatness of a religion can be measured by the amount of high science and literature it produces.’
Utter nonsense, I never claimed such a thing, only an idiot and very naive person would claim such a thing, for even pagan nations like the Greeks were advanced. You obviously didn’t get the point. What I was trying to say (by pointing to the fact that the absolute majority of the greatest scientists of Iran were SUNNI MUSLIMS) is that POST-ISLAM Iran was a blessing to the Iranians (despite the oppression by some Umayyads or even Iranian tyrant rulers), for it was the ISLAMIC environment (not the Sassanian Zoroastrian one) that provided a society were the likes of Saadi Shirazi, Al-Ghazali etc. could succeed in the first place.
‘The car you drive, the long life you enjoy, the airplanes you travel with, most advanced instruments, book-printing that allowed mass literacy, hygienical knowledge, medicine, surgery, and basically 95% of the stuff we have today, are either made by people who live in protestant christian countries, catholic countries, or Israel, and NOT by muslim countries, zoroastrian countries, hindu countries, buddhist countries, orthodox christian countries, etc.’
WRONG! For all these technologies were based on the contributions of the Muslims, particularly in Spain, read this to see that all your science is based on the work of Muslims (and you westerners have plagarised it, just like how you lie that Colombus was the first man who ‘discovered’ America!):
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/how-islamic-inventors-changed-the-world-469452.html