Ans. We believe in only one God, and do not believe in any besides Him. Ques. Who is that one God? Ans. The God who created the heavens, the earth, the angels, the stars, the sun, the moon, the fire, the water, or all the four elements, and all things of the two worlds; that God we believe in-Him we worship, Him we invoke, and Him we adore. Ques. Do we not believe in any other God? Ans. Whoever believes in any other God but this is an infidel, and shall suffer the punishment of hell. Ques. What is the form of our God? Ans. Our God has neither face nor form, colour nor shape, nor fixed place. There is no other like Him; he is Himself singly such a glory that we cannot praise or describe Him; nor our mind comprehend Him. Ques. Is there any such thing that God even cannot create? Ans. Yes; there is one thing which God himself even cannot create. Ques. What that thing is, must be explained to me. Ans. God is the creator of all things, but if he wish to create another like Himself, he cannot do it. God cannot create another like Himself. Ques. How many names are there for God? Ans. It is said there are one thousand and one names; but of these one hundred and one are extant. Ques. Why are there so many names of God? Ans. God's names, expressive of his nature, are two, "Yazdan" (omnipotence), and "Páuk" (holy). He is also named "Hormuzd" (the highest of spirits), "Dádár" (the distributor of justice), "Purvurdegár" (provider), “Purvurtar” (protector), by which names we praise him. There are many other names, also, descriptive of his good doings. Ques. What is our religion? Ans. Our religion is, "Worship of God." Ques. Whence did we receive our religion? Ans. God's true prophet-the true Zurthost [Zoroaster] Asphantamán Anoshirwán-brought the religion for us from God. Ques. Where should I turn my face when worshipping the holy Hormuzd ? Ans. We should worship the holy, just Hormuzd with our face towards some of his creations of light, and glory, and brightness. Ques. Which are those things? Ans. Such as the sun, the moon, the stars, the fire, water, and other such things of glory. To such things we turn our face, and consider them our "kibleh" (literally, the thing opposite), because God has bestowed upon them a small spark of his pure glory, and they are, therefore, more exalted in the creation, and fit to be our "kibleh" (representing this power and glory). Ques. Who was this true prophet, the true Zurthost? Ans. The son of Porosaspé, who was the son of Pétéraspé, was the excellent Zurthost Ashphantamán Anoshirwane— chief of the wise, and the king of the learned-the worshipper of God. Him did God exalt over all mankind, admitted to his own presence; and by him did God send us his good Mazdiashná religion. He has been our prophet. Ques. Have we had any other prophet after Zurthost? Ans. No; we should remain attached with sincere faith to the religion brought by him. Ques. Among the creation of Hormuzd in this world, which is the most exalted, and which the lowest ? Ans. The great prophet is the most exalted, and that prophet is the excellent Zurthost-none is higher than he; the height of dignity culminates in him, because he is the most beloved and honoured of God. The servant of all is iron. Ques. What religion has our prophet brought us from God? Ans. The disciples of our prophet have recorded in several books that religion. Many of these books were destroyed during the Alexandrian conquest, the remainder of the books were preserved with great care and respect by the Sassanian Kings. Of these again the greater portion were destroyed at the Mahommedan conquest by Khalif Omar, so that we have now very few books remaining, viz., the Vandidad, the Yazashné, the Visparad, the Khordeh Avesta, the Vistasp Nusk, and a few Pehlvi books. Resting our faith upon these few books, we now remain devoted to our good Mazdiashna religion. We consider these books as heavenly books, because God sent the tidings of these books to us through the holy Zurthost. Ques. What other books had we during the times of our kings? Ans. Innumerable on all subjects of learning, but the enemies of our religion and sovereignty translated them in their own languages, and thus, after usurping our wisdom, destroyed our ancient Persian and Pehlvi works. Ques. In what king's time did our prophet live? Ans. When a just and God-worshipping king, by name Gushtàshp [Hystaspes] the son of Lohorósp reigned. When Jámásp was the sage, and Rustam the great warrior, did our prophet bring the Mazdiashna religion from God. He performed many miracles and refuted the sages of Greece and India by such miracles; then the King Gushtáshp, the sage Jámásp, and the sages of Greece and India, believed in the religion brought by Zurthost and accepted it. Ques. Are our prophet's miracles recorded any where ? Ans. Long accounts were recorded in our ancient books, of which we have some portions extant. The wise and learned Greeks of the time had also recorded the miracles and wisdom and truth of our prophet, but their ignorant successors have, from envy, altered and misrepresented those records. Notwithstanding this, there are still some evidences in the old Greek books. Ques. What religion prevailed in Persia before the time of Zurthost? Ans. The kings and the people were worshippers of God, but they had, like the Hindoos, images of the planets and idols in their temples. This religion is now designated the Poriódakesi, which appears to be a mistake, for it seems the religion of the Persians before Zurthost, was called Farsandaji Kós, and its followers Farsandaji Kisán, while it is those that adopted Zurthost's religion, were called the Poriodekesians. Ques. Whose descendants are we? Ans. Of Gayomars. By his progeny was Persia populated. Ques. Was Gayomars the first man ? Ans. According to our religion he was so, but the wise men of our community, of the Chinese, the Hindoos, and several other nations, dispute the assertion, and say that there was human population on the earth before Gayomars. Ques. What commands has God sent us through his prophet, the exalted Zurthost? Ans. Many are those commands, but I give you the principal, which must always be remembered and by which we must guide ourselves : To know God as one; to know the prophet, the exalted Zurthost, as his true prophet; to believe the religion and the Avestá brought by him, as true beyond all manner of doubt; to believe in the goodness of God; not to disobey any of the commands of the Mazdiashná religion; to avoid evil deeds; to exert for good deeds; to pray five times in the day; to believe in the reckoning and justice on the fourth morning after death; to hope for heaven and to fear hell; to consider doubtless the day of general destruction and resurrection; to remember always that God has done what he willed, and shall do what he wills; to face some luminous object while worshiping God. Ques. If we commit any sin, will our prophet save us? Ans. Never commit any sin under that faith, because our prophet, our guide to the right path, has distinctly commanded you shall receive according to what you do." Your deeds will determine your return in the other world. If you do virtuous and pious actions, your reward shall be heaven. If you sin and do wicked things, you shall be punished in hell. There is none save God that could save you from the consequences of your sins. If any one commit a sin under the belief that he shall be saved by somebody, both the deceiver as well as the deceived shall be damned to the day of "Rastá Khez," (the day of the end of this world). * Ques. Have any persons endeavoured to deceive the people by offering to intercede for them and to save them? Ans. Some deceivers, with the view of acquiring exaltation in this world, have set themselves up as prophets, and going among the labouring and ignorant people, have persuaded them that, “if you commit sin, I shall intercede for you, I shall plead for you, I shall save you ;" and thus deceive them, but the wise among those people know the deceit. They do not, however, dare to speak their mind for fear of the deluded multitude. Our prophet needed no exaltation here, he was exalted before God, and he told us the true command, " you shall receive according to your deeds." There is no saviour. In the other world you shall receive the return according to your actions. Your saviour is your deeds, and God himself. He is "Bakhsháyandé," (the pardoner), and "Bakhsháyazgar," (the giver). If you repent your sins and reform, and if the great judge consider you worthy of pardon, or would be merciful to you, he alone can and will save you. Ques. Why are God and his prophet addressed in the rude singular "thou," instead of the polite plural " you?" * * Ans. Because God is only one, and there is none like him, and there is only one prophet. |