A Comparative Study of Primeval Creation in Ancient Persia’s Beliefs and Isma’ilist Thoughts

In terms of Zurvanist teachings, the creation of humanity divides into mediated and immediate. There are analogies between this mythical teaching and Isma’ilist teaching. The mythical emergence of Ahura Mazda (ensued by Zurvanist doubts), and the latter’s features are in part reflected in early Isma’ilist literature in the form of kawni and qadar and after that in the form of reason and soul. The other feature of Ahura Mazda is that he has aides in creating and managing the world and it could be said that the role and functions of Amesha Spenta in aiding the creator are analogous with what is called in Isma’ilist literature seven archangels and, sometimes, six limits (hudud sītta)  This article seeks to conduct a comparative study of the influence of Persian beliefs on the Isma’ilist theosophical teachings. In fact, it is aimed at answering two questions: what are the similarities between Persian thoughts on creation and management of the world, and Isma’ilist beliefs? And what factors laid the ground for the influence of Persian beliefs on them? Accordingly, in the first section, the backgrounds of the affection of Isma’ilist teachings by Persian religions were examined and in the second, some manifestations of the ideological similarities were reported which could be indicative of the possibility of the affection of Isma’ilist teachings by the beliefs in ancient Persia.