Ignorance and darkness? The Persians basically spearheaded the Islamic Golden Age. It wasn't a dark time at all. Many important discoveries in the fields of science, astronomy, and medicine were made during this time, and the majority of key figures of the Islamic Golden Age were Persian. Also, the Persians, in the Arabic language, transcribed important ancient Greek texts that the Christians over in Europe were neglecting. And the Persians did have their own Islamic dynasties and empires by the way. It's a shame what happened to Zoroastrianism's numbers, but Islam did not kill Persian glory. Persians had their own glorious relationship with Islam. You're mixing up today's issues with the country with the past. The Safavid Empire was glorious. The Mughals, who had a Persian culture, also had a rich history
@Young Kekistani 1. "Is this where we get 'Islamic mysticism' from?": Yes. Sufism, by philosophy and rituals is Iranian, and is intellectual. The language of Sufism is Persian (not Arabic). There are a lot of ridicules about Islamic rituals (about for example jihad, haj, fasting) in magnum opus literature and poetry of this traditions (in an esoteric language). For example, they twisted the meaning of jihad to "Inner jihad" and ridiculed the existing traditions of introducing people to Islam by force/sword, and sold this new meaning to moderate Muslims. The main rituals are music, dance, poetry, wine drinking, painting, and arts (all of which are discouraged in Islam). Sufism started by the followers of Mani whom his teaching was very influential from China to Europe, to the extend that one of the two founders of Chritian Church was Manichaeist before becoming Christian. Sufis just portrayed themselves as Muslim in public to avoid discrimination and persecution of the intolerant systems (and their stupid common people supporters). execution of "false prophet"s is one example of early Muslims animosity with Mani's followers. And still Mullahs and strict Muslims, view Sufism as their biggest enemy. 2. "But without Persia, Greece would never become the birth place of modern civilization.": I agree. Ahura Mazda means "Lord of Wisdom", and Philosophy means "Love for Wisdom" (see the similarities between the two). That is why Britannica Encyclopedia stated Zarathustra "as the first philosopher of the history". His teaching influenced, greatly, Heraclitus and Plato in Greek tradition, gave birth to Abrahamic traditions, and the "dual" traditions of the far east like Daoism (Taoism or Yin / Yang) and Zenism are influenced/born from his taught. In my opinion, the guy was indeed an influential and intellectual individual. A world class figure whom expect for a few intellectuals around the world (e.g. King Cyrus and King Darius, Buddha, Laozi, Jesus, Mani, Hafez, ...) common people misunderstood him in ideas about "Paradise on earth" (or Gardenly peace), inner and Personal development, reaching light and peace (Hu-maina, or Humanity) through practicing morale, and equality of all religions and races. 3. "but Iran still held on to some of it's Arian distinction.": Well I do not care about race, nor, I believe, Iranian culture cares about it. But yea Iranian culture is very influential in the world. just look at the map and see many number of countries existed with prefix "-stan" (equivalent to "satrap" in Persian empire which has been adopted by Alexander-the-great and transferred to Rome as "-land"). Iranians developed the existing city-state political traditions in ancient world (e.g. mono-lingual, mono-religious, mono-racial systems who tried to subjugate other cultures brutally) to a country-state political tradition (e.g. multi-lingual even to the level of state language, multi-religious, and multi-racial system) in which people were living together, happily and hand-to-hand (just look at the humans rock-relief in Persepolis) for the first time. And this was how they could Persianize/Iranianize all of their brutal invaders in history. 4. "Then overnight it was gone": it was not overnight. These mullahs invested on uneducated and common people for centuries, and prepared them, mentally, that the government is their "god-given" right. Hopefully, it will change. Sorry, I think it was long! :D
@Young Kekistani 1. "Iran was only a third of it": Third of what? Sorry the language is not clear to understand it fully. Could you clarify, please? 2. " I didn't mean to bring my countries politics. ": Well obviously, the USA Government plaid an important role in how the events took place in recent century, in iran. So it is important to us, too. Democrats, more specifically, made two great mistakes: a) not supporting the Shah in front of the Khomeini's regime and, in fact, helping the Khomeini supporters to overthrow the Shah easier (at Carter's time), b) not supporting the green movement at the time of Obama and negotiating with the regime, instead.
@Young Kekistani Of course man, I am not here to blame USA at all. I love and respect US culture, government and people. I was just saying, USA politics, as the most important country in the globe, is important to us too. I tell the mistakes, for the future. :) We hate our own regime in Iran. I wish I could send this message to USA politicians, and tell them our regime is like an apartheid regime. So please Boycott them from your both parties. Americans, to us, are freedom lovers, and I would ask them, Democrats and Republicans, to help us free ourselves from our evil regime (through peaceful aids). God bless USA! ;)
Hilarious.......not ONE sighting of a motorcycle in this beautiful documentary??! I was in Yazd a week ago (October 2018) and like all cities in Iran, motorcycles have the potential to completely ruin your experience in Iran. They are free to ride on the pathways, to park anywhere, ride through the narrow alleyways, disregard traffic signals, etc. Incredibly, there are VERY FEW people riding bicycles but seemingly, EVERYONE drives motorcycles....despite the fact that the cities in Iran are all built on flat grounds, making a perfect environment for cyclists. But NO.......motorcyclists rule the streets, ride without helmets (sometimes 4 at a time!), compete with pedestrians on walkways and alleyways and create an environment where it's difficult to have a discussion with anyone in the streets due to the noise of......motorcycles??!!!!! Why isn't this apparent in this documentary??!!! Yazd is no paradise, I can assure you and along with the wondrous history and beauty of Yazd, come the beasts on 2 wheels, ready to destroy your experience completely!!!
If I acknowledged citizenship of a country I'd denounce the land I live in , currently referd to as America and become a Persian , if Persian people did not fall to its fate that America looks destined to as well. But good thoughts that lead to good words that produce good action requires no country, nationality or citizenship. There does seem to be somewhat of a relevant trend that when the people of a land consider it well to get rid of the unwanted or what is considered inconvenient by way of death they become more than willing to do the same to their unborn so its hardly any sort of shock when we hear of murders, of killings, of wars, of hatred when mothers can kill her own child, what is left but for us to kill each other.
I can tell you living in Iran and has her passport is no fun at all. That is why we are going abroad to find a home. But living in Iran is one thing, having Iranian/Persian spirit is the other. Read and understand the Persian poetry and its universal messages (similar to Zarathustra's and Cyrus's one), and celebrate Nowruz (the birth of nature, and other smaller Mithraic celebrations), then, welcome, you are an Iranian in Spirit and mind. I assure you there are many stupids in Iran, who did not read 10 verses of Hafez, Rumi, Khayyam, or Firdowsi in their entire life. To me they are non-Iranians too. By the way, America is a great country, and has many many many freedom lovers people!
