Ancient Persia’s Zoroastrian faith planted seeds that later blossomed across Judaism, Christianity and Islam. During the Babylonian Exile (6th century BCE), Jewish scholars rubbed shoulders with Zoroastrian ideas. The stark dualism of Ahura Mazda versus Angra Mainyu found echoes in Yahweh and Satan. Angels such as Mithra and Vohu Manah morphed into Michael and Gabriel, and the notion of a final judgment—where souls face reward or punishment—became crystal clear in later Jewish writings like Daniel.

Fast-forward to early Christianity, and that same cosmic drama resurfaces. The Book of Revelation brims with imagery—battle lines drawn between good and evil, dragons and saviors—that feels straight out of Zoroastrian eschatology. Resurrection of the body, paradise gardens and fiery hellscapes weave through both faiths. Even the concept of a savior-figure (Saoshyant in Persian lore) seems to have hit it out of the park when it comes to shaping the idea of Christ as redeemer.

Islam, arriving in 7th-century Arabia, also borrowed a few pages from Zoroastrianism’s playbook. Angels (Mala’ika) and jinn carry shades of ancient daevas, while Iblis (Satan) channels Angra Mainyu’s rebellious spirit. The Day of Judgment, with its weighing of deeds, heavenly gardens (Paradise) and blazing hellfire (Jahannam), feels like déjà vu for those familiar with Avestan texts. Even the spring festival of Nowruz made its way into Islamic culture across Persia and Central Asia, a testament to cultural fusion rather than mere coincidence.

These threads aren’t just historical footnotes. In 2024, a British Museum exhibit on Zoroastrian art sparked fresh conversations about how religious ideas travel—and transform. Meanwhile, digital initiatives like the Parsi Digital Library (2025 launch) are making Zoroastrian scriptures more accessible, reminding everyone that today’s religious landscapes still carry whispers from that ancient monotheism. What began along the banks of the Avestan rivers still ripples through three of the world’s major faiths—proof that some ideas simply refuse to stay buried.