Based on the divine visions and revelations of Zoroaster, a Persian prophet of the sixth century B.C., this ancient one-god religion has, over the years, influenced basic ideas in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. These basic concepts include good and evil, heaven and hell, and the existence of a supreme being.

The three wise men, or Magi, of the Christian Bible were probably Zoroastrian: Magi means "priest" in Avestan, the Zoroastrian sacred language.

The state religion of ancient Persia, Zoroastrianism is still practiced by followers in Iran, India, and North America. Sacred rituals and rites of passage are important for binding together the small Zoroastrian communities around the world, as is their holy book, the Avesta.

Central to this religion is the belief that good and evil are at war with each other, but good will ultimately prevail. It is imperative for each Zoroastrian to aid the victory by practicing good words, good deeds, and good thoughts. Zoroastrians have the reputation among other Middle Easterners for being honest and forthright.

All ritual observances revolve around fire. Zoroastrian temples maintain a sacred fire that must be ritually attended and never allowed to go out.

To avoid polluting the sacred elements of earth and fire, Zoroastrians neither bury nor cremate their dead. In the past, when such practices were permitted, Zoroastrians placed their dead on a stone platform atop a mountain. On this "tower of silence," the body gradually deteriorated as it was subjected to wind, sun, and animals. Today, to balance the old way with modern life, a metal stretcher is enclosed in cement and placed in a cemetery.

With an estimated population of 220,000 to 250,000 worldwide, Zoroastrians tend to be well educated, which is their way of being prepared for times of sudden political and social change.

The majority resides in Iran as a minority group among Muslims. Iranian Zoroastrians speak standard Persian (Farsi) and their own dialect of Persian. While Zoroastrians in Iran have been a marginalized group, Iranians of all faiths hold romantic ideas about them as bearers of the country's original religion and culture. In the early 11th century groups of Zoroastrians immigrated to India. Now called Parsis, most of these people reside in Mumbai.