Religion In Iran

Prominent religion
The prominent religion of Iran is the Shiite Islam. It's also its official religion.The vast majority of
Iranians are Muslims of the Ithna Ashara, or Twelver, Shiite branch, which is the state religion.
Shiite sect of Islam has emerged from the followers of one of the most revered religious and
holy figures of Islam is 'Ali ibn Abi Talib' (601–661 AD), whose honorary name, Amir al-
Mu'minin, translates into Persian as the “Leader of the believers.” Written works by Ali ibn Abi
Talib and sayings attributed to him are sacred to the Shiite faithful, particularly among Persian-
speakers.
When Shiite Islam was originated in the early Islamic period following the death of the Prophet
Muhammad in 632 AD, The Shiite sect emerged as a result of a disagreement over the
succession of leadership after the Prophet Muhammad, with Shiite Muslims believing that
leadership should have remained within the family of the Prophet.
Shiite has various forms.The Ismaili Shiite doctrine became prominent in Iran by the eleventh
century. Later, during the Safavid dynasty (1501–1722 AD), much of present Iran and
Azerbaijan converted to the Twelver Shiite sect of Islam.
Iran has a unique role in the history and development of Shiite Islam, as it has been a center of
religious scholarship and leadership for Shiite Muslims for centuries.

Sufism, a meditative and mystical path of Islam, evolved in this region in the tenth
century.Sufism, a mystical and introspective interpretation of Islam that emerged after the initial
spread of the religion, combines Islamic teachings with Gnosticism. The practice embraced the
idea of enlightenment through spiritual knowledge, with pre-Islamic Greek, Zoroastrian, and
Indian spiritual practices. By the thirteenth century in Persia, Sufi thought was expressed
primarily through poetry or in poetic works of prose such as Sufi treatise. The fine illuminated
manuscript pages with animal and floral motifs and the highly prized Nastaliq calligraphy style of
the manuscript demonstrate the importance of spiritual and philosophical works in medieval
Persia.[1]

Other religious practices

Along side with shiite,Sunni Islam is also practiced in Iran. They're mainly predominant in
western and south-eastern part of Iran,Where The Kurds and Turkmen are main
inhabitant.Christianity,Judaism,Zoroastrianism,Baha's faith are the other genres of religions that
are also exist in Iran.Baha'i Faith developed as late as the nineteenth century in Iran. By 650
BC, the Zoroastrianism or Zoroastrian faith, a monotheistic religion founded on the ideas of the
philosopher Zoroaster, had become the official religion of ancient Iran. And it was Iran’s primary
religion until the mid-seventh century, when Islam spread by Arabs,many Zoroastrians fled to
India to avoid conversion.[2]Later Judaism and then Christianity came to Iran via Mesopotamia,
with both developing vibrant faith communities in Iran.The religious texts of the Zoroastrian faith
of ancient Iran are referred to as the “Avesta.” The oldest part is the Gathas, which includes a
collection of hymns and one of the oldest examples of religious poetry attributed to the prophet
Zoroaster ( 630–550 BC).[3]
Overall, the relationship between Shiite Islam and Iran is influenced by historical, religious, and
geopolitical factors. The strong connection between Iran and Shiite Islam has shaped Iran's
domestic and foreign policies, as well as its regional influence in the Middle East.

[1]https://www.loc.gov/exhibits/thousand-years-of-the-persian-book/religion.html

[2]https://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/11/opinion/iran-must-celebrate-its-heritage.html

[3]https://www.britannica.com/place/Iran/Religion