A Parsi Times reader asked who Dastur Dinyar (also known as Salman-e-Fars) was and whether he was a close companion of Hazrat Mohamed, the Prophet of Islam? The reader has also asked whether the Prophet of Islam had issued various Firman (edict) called Ahadnameh decreeing that Zoroastrians should not be harmed? While it seems that Dastur Dinyar was a close companion of Hazrat Mohamed, the Ahadnameh does not seem to be authentic.

Influence on Islam

Being one of the oldest revealed religions of the world, Zoroastrianism has indeed influenced Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Scholars of comparative religions believe that the concept of heaven and hell, resurrection, God and Satan etc., are all Zoroastrian precepts which were developed during the Sasanian period when Zoroastrianism became the State religion of Iran and were borrowed subsequently by the Jews, Christians and Muslims.

Hazrat Mohamed was born in Mecca, Arabia, in 570 AD, during the reign of Anushirvan-e-Adel (Noshirwan the Just) in Iran. He began publicly preaching Islam in 613 AD, three years after receiving his first revelation at the age of forty in 610 AD. Historical accounts suggest that the Prophet constituted a council of trusted advisers, among whom Dastur Dinyar, also known as Salman-e-Fars, held a position of great esteem. He was regarded as one of the most revered Ashab (companions) of the Prophet and was considered part of his innermost circle. The Hadith records the Prophet’s words: “Salman minna Ahl-al-Bayt,” meaning ‘Salman is one of us’.

Dastur Dinyar outlived the Prophet and strongly supported Hazrat Ali during the division that followed. Under Hazrat Ali’s spiritual influence, Islamic mysticism began to flourish, emphasizing devotion to God, humility, introspection, the pursuit of knowledge, righteous living, and service to humanity – values deeply aligned with Zoroastrian ethical principles.

Who was Dastur Dinyar?

Unfortunately, there’s little known about Dastur Dinyar from Pahlavi texts, except that he was also known as Behzad (the wellborn) and was the spiritual counsellor of Noshirwan-e-Adel. Iran, during this period, was going through internal discord and strife. Dastur Dinyar is said to have tried hard to bring about unity, amity and peace among the opposing factions of the Iranian royalty. As a consequence, he became unpopular among the warring factions.

As per oral tradition, Dastur Dinyar was arrested for a crime he did not knowingly commit – he had inadvertently injured his mother and was compelled to flee Iran to avoid persecution. Another account suggests that the king, convinced of his innocence and piety, secretly aided his escape. Seeking refuge in Medina, Dastur Dinyar later became closely associated with Prophet Mohamed, who recognized his wisdom and integrity. He soon became a trusted companion, contributing significantly to the Prophet’s mission.

American Orientalist and pioneer of Arabic and Islamic studies in the US, Duncan Black MacDonald, published ‘Development of Muslim Theology, Jurisprudence and Constitutional Theory’ (in 1903) – a comprehensive overview of the historical evolution of Islamic thought, legal systems and political theory. It states, “It was Dastur Dinyar, afterwards known as Salman-e-Farsi a learned Zoroastrian priest who helped Mahomed in writing, the Quran (The Quran XVI-105.)”

Islamic sources also offer detailed accounts of Salman’s spiritual journey and his path to Islam. A chapter in the Hadith compilation Bihar al-Anwar (“Oceans of Light”) is dedicated to his life, reflecting his esteemed position and the reverence accorded to him by the Prophet and later Shia Imams. Historical records indicate that the Prophet established a council of close advisers, within which Dastur Dinyar held a prominent place, belonging to the Prophet’s inner circle and counted among the most respected Ashab (companions). The Hadith declares, “Salman minna Ahl-al-Bayt” or ‘Salman is one of us’, affirming his deep spiritual kinship.

Ahadnameh

The three Ahadnameh (royal charters) first came to public attention in 1851, over 12 centuries after they were originally issued. Sorabji Jamshedji Jeejeebhoy, son of Sir Jamshedji Jejeebhoy, the First Baronet, published them along with the original Arabic text and translations in Persian and Gujarati, making these historic documents accessible to a wider audience.

According to the Ahadnameh, Hazrat Mohamed granted formal protection of life, property, religious freedom, and exemption from the poll tax (Jaziya) to Farrukh-bin-Shakshan (brother of Dastur Dinyar), Bahram-bin-Khiradars, and the descendants of Adarbad Mahrespand. It has also been asserted that similar charters were issued by the Prophet and his son-in-law Imam Ali to all Ahel-e-Kitab or ‘People of the Book’ – followers of divinely revealed faiths.

The charter granted to the brother of Salman-e-Fars is believed to have been written by Ali Ibn Abu Talib. It bestowed rights, freedoms and protection upon the Zoroastrian community associated with Dastur Dinyar. The Prophet is recorded as saying: “Whosoever obeys this command of mine will earn the pleasure of Allah; whosoever disobeys shall be accursed until the Day of Resurrection.”

The Ahadnameh further proclaims: “Those who are generous to the Zoroastrians are generous to me, and shall receive only goodness from Allah; but whoever offends them offends me, and I shall oppose him on the Day of Judgement.” It concludes with an affectionate tribute: “Paradise yearns more eagerly for Salman than Salman longs to enter it. He is my intimate friend and adviser to all Muslims. Salman is one of our family.”

However, in 1925, the Iran League in Bombay published the book, ‘The Ahad Nameh’, by Gushtasp K. Nariman, a scholar specializing in comparative religious studies and Parsi history. Nariman critically examined the historical authenticity and the three proclamations and concluded that the three specific covenants he studied were not authentic historical documents from the time of the Prophet or Ali, but later fabrications.