Kurdistan celebrates birth of Zoroaster

Shafaq News/ Kurds in the city of Al-Sulaymaniyah celebrated the birth of Zoroaster (Zarathustra,) the founder of Zoroastrianism, on Tuesday.

The celebration was held at the Yasna Organization temple and was attended by followers of other religions, including Christians, Mandaeans, and Muslims.

"Today marks the birth of our great prophet Zoroaster, which falls on the 6th of Khakh in the Zoroastrian calendar, corresponding to March 26," said Awat Hussam al-Din, the representative of the Zoroastrian religion in the Kurdistan Region.

"We are celebrating today at the Zoroastrian temple in Sulaymaniyah with the presence of the Saraya Zoroastrians and the Supreme Zoroastrian Council," Hussam al-Din added. "I am pleased to see the presence of followers of other religions, including Christians, Mandaeans, and Muslims."

Hussam al-Din said the celebration "shows that Kurdistan is a cradle of peaceful coexistence in the Middle East and Iraq, and there is no difference between religions; humanity comes first, then the homeland and religion."

Zoroastrianism is an ancient monotheistic religion that originated in Iran. It is based on the teachings of Zoroaster, who is believed to have lived around 1,500 BCE.

The religion teaches that there is one God, Ahura Mazda, who is the source of all good. Ahura Mazda is opposed by Angra Mainyu, the spirit of evil. Zoroastrians believe that the world is in a state of conflict between good and evil, and that humans must choose to follow the path of good.

Zoroastrianism was once the dominant religion in Iran, but it declined in popularity after the Arab Muslim conquest of Persia in the 7th century CE. Today, there are an estimated 125,000 Zoroastrians worldwide, with the majority living in Iran, India, and the United States.

The Zoroastrian community in Kurdistan is small, but it is growing. There are an estimated 5,000 Zoroastrians living in the region, with the majority concentrated in Al-Sulaymaniyah.