The Politics of Zoroastrian Philanthropy and the Case of Qasr-e Firuzeh

Main author: Stewart, Sarah
Format: Journal Article           
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id eprints-13037
recordtype eprints
institution SOAS, University of London
collection SOAS Research Online
language English
language_search English
description In Iran and India religious philanthropy has been a feature of Zoroastrian piety as well as providing the means by which both communities have prospered throughout their respective histories. In Iran an elaborate structure for the regulation of charitable donations was already in place during the Sasanian period and laid the foundation for the laws governing pious foundations, awqāf, after the Islamic conquest. The increased interaction between Iranian Zoroastrians and Parsis from the mid-nineteenth century onwards led to the expansion of the Tehran Zoroastrian community and the rise of a wealthy merchant class which in turn enabled philanthropic activity to flourish. This development will be discussed here with reference to a particular vaqf, that of the first ārāmgāh or Zoroastrian cemetery to be established in Tehran in the early twentieth century. The case of Qasr-e Firuzeh spans three successive governments in Iran and gives an insight into the management of a charitable endowment within different political contexts.
format Journal Article
author Stewart, Sarah
author_facet Stewart, Sarah
authorStr Stewart, Sarah
author_letter Stewart, Sarah
title The Politics of Zoroastrian Philanthropy and the Case of Qasr-e Firuzeh
publisher Taylor and Francis
publishDate 2012
url https://eprints.soas.ac.uk/13037/