Which religions have used Iranian languages in their sacred literature?

Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

Iranian languages have played a significant role in the sacred literature of several religions, most notably Zoroastrianism and Manichaeism.1

  • Zoroastrianism: The primary sacred text of this faith, the Avesta, was originally composed in Avestan, an archaic Old Iranian language. The oldest portions of this scripture, known as the Gāthās, are attributed to the prophet Zoroaster. During the Sasanian dynasty, many Zoroastrian texts were also recorded in Pahlavi, a Middle Iranian language that served as the official state language and the medium for religious scholarship.234

  • Manichaeism: This faith, founded by the prophet Mani, utilized Middle Iranian languages for its religious texts. Pahlavi, in particular, was used to spread the teachings of Manichaeism during the 3rd century CE.34