Author: Dr. Fazl Ahmad Ahmadi
An Overview of “Zoroastrian Religion” (Part 5)
5- Family in Zoroastrian religion
The family system is one of the most important and fundamental human achievements that has evolved over time and has a high value and position in different civilizations. However, not much is known about the marriage system among the Aryans before Zoroastrianism, but it can be understood from Zoroastrian’s emphasis on the family and the sacredness of this institution on his part that at that time, the family was still in the form of a joint family and there was no mention of a monogamous family. This type of family dates back to the pre-civilization era and was directly related to the way and type of livelihood of that time.
As a prophet, Zoroaster was the organizer of monogamous marriage. In the system of civilization that Zoroaster founded, the family appeared as an established and sacred institution. This form of family has been very important and a vital element for the establishment of civilization.
Also, in the quasi-class classification that Zoroaster puts forward in “Gahan”, the family is at the top. This classification is as follows: “family, village, tribe, land or country, and pure and righteous leaders.”
In order for production and accumulation to take place, herding and farming required stable and large families. Zarathustra himself explains the importance of the family and its connection with these matters as follows: “A man who has a wife is superior to one who does not, and a man who heads a family is superior to one who does not have a family, and a man who has many sons is superior to one who has no family.” It is not like that, there is virtue, and a rich man is better than a man who has no wealth. According to Zoroaster, the most sacred social organization was the family. Zarathustra asked Ahura: “O holy father of Giti, where is the second most pleasant place on earth?” So Ahuramazada said: Every mirror where a holy man builds a house, and many dogs, many women, many children, many fires, and many means of good life.
According to these texts, it is clear that Zoroaster was a defender of marriage and strongly hates adulterers and prostitutes, that is, those who violate and defy the moral and human system. Similarly, Ashe is evasive from those who forcefully prevent a girl from marrying her fiancé and is their enemy. At the same time, the house is one of the main places of Ashe’s activity, and she establishes the basis of chastity and piety in the family, and that is why people invite her to their house. For example, in the prayer that is related to Ashe, and they invite Ashe, it is said: “O beautiful Ashe, O creature of the Creator, go up to the heavens, come into my house, which is pure and humble”.
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