Written by The Voice of the Divine
In every sacred tradition, the voice of the Divine must find a bridge—between the unseen and the seen, between the cosmic and the human. In Zoroastrianism, this bridge is Sraosha, the divine embodiment of conscience, discipline, and sacred listening. In Islam, the equivalent function is fulfilled through revelation (wahy), carried by Jibril (Gabriel) and realized through prophetic obedience to God’s command.
Though Islam and Zoroastrianism differ theologically, the structure of revelation and submission in both traditions reveals a fascinating continuity. The figure of Sraosha, central to Zoroastrian liturgy and moral consciousness, offers a compelling precursor to the Qur’anic model of prophecy and divine guidance.
1. Who is Sraosha?
Sraosha (Avestan: “Hearing” or “Obedience”) is one of the most important Yazatas (divine beings) in the Zoroastrian pantheon. He:
- Guards the Chinvat Bridge, judging souls after death.
- Serves as the personification of divine obedience and moral awareness.
- Receives the words of Ahura Mazda and transmits them to humanity.
- Is invoked daily in Zoroastrian prayers (notably in the Sraosha Yasht, Yasna 57).
He is not merely a messenger; he is the force within the human soul that hears, discerns, and obeys divine truth. In this way, he is both cosmic and internal, divine and psychological.
2. Sraosha and the Inner Ear of Revelation
Zoroastrian tradition emphasizes the purity of mind and hearing as the means of divine contact. Listening—not just passive hearing—is a sacred act. Sraosha enables the soul to hear the voice of Ahura Mazda and align with Asha (truth, order).
This resonates with the Qur’anic emphasis on:
- Wahy (Revelation): The process by which God speaks to prophets (Qur’an 42:51).
- The heart and ears as instruments of spiritual discernment (Qur’an 7:179, 22:46).
- The phrase “Sam‘ana wa ata‘na” (“We hear and we obey”) in Muslim devotional language (Qur’an 2:285), which mirrors the function of Sraosha in facilitating sacred obedience.
3. The Role of Jibril and Prophetic Mediation
In Islam, Jibril functions as the supreme messenger between Allah and the prophets, particularly Muhammad. He:
- Delivers the Qur’an directly to the Prophet’s heart (Qur’an 2:97).
- Acts as the spirit of truth and bearer of divine command (Qur’an 16:102).
- Is called Ruh al-Amin—the “trustworthy spirit”—similar to how Sraosha is seen as faithful to Asha.
Yet unlike Sraosha, Jibril is more external; he is a distinct, angelic being, not a presence within the soul. However, in Sufi interpretation, Jibril’s function becomes more inward—representing the intuitive, illuminated part of the soul that receives divine light, much like Sraosha.
4. The Sacred Chain: Sraosha, Asha, and the Prophet’s Word
The Zoroastrian triad of Ahura Mazda → Sraosha → Zarathustra is structurally echoed in Islam’s Allah → Jibril → Muhammad. Both systems depend on a sacred transmission of truth, delivered not just through speech, but through deep inner alignment.
| Zoroastrianism | Islam |
|---|---|
| Ahura Mazda (Source of Truth) | Allah (Source of Revelation) |
| Sraosha (Divine Hearing & Transmission) | Jibril (Angel of Revelation) |
| Zarathustra (Prophet who obeys and transmits) | Muhammad (Seal of the Prophets) |
| Asha (Cosmic Truth & Righteousness) | Haqq (Ultimate Truth & Justice) |
In both traditions, the prophets are not passive recipients; they are active listeners, vessels of sacred obedience. The divine word is meant not only to be heard but enacted.
5. The Psychological Dimension: Obedience as Inner Light
Zoroastrianism teaches that Sraosha lives in the inner world of the just person. Obedience is not submission under compulsion—it is an alignment of the soul with cosmic harmony.
Islamic mysticism, especially in Sufism, echoes this. Obedience (ta‘a) becomes an act of spiritual surrender, where the heart, once purified, becomes a receptacle of divine speech. The famous Hadith Qudsi says:
“When I love My servant… I become his hearing with which he hears…”
This profound resonance shows how the Zoroastrian ideal of sacred hearing persisted into Islamic formulations of spiritual receptivity.
Listening as a Path to Light
In both Zoroastrianism and Islam, revelation is not merely a transmission of words—it is a discipline of the soul. Whether through Sraosha or Jibril, the Divine Voice calls us to listen, discern, and obey—not blindly, but in alignment with the higher truth that sustains the universe.
Sraosha, the angel of sacred listening, may not be named in Islam—but his essence lives on in every verse recited, in every obedient heart, and in the deep Qur’anic command: “So give ear to it and be silent, that you may receive mercy” (Qur’an 7:204).
References
- Boyce, Mary. Zoroastrians: Their Religious Beliefs and Practices. Routledge, 2001.
- Dhalla, Maneckji Nusservanji. Zoroastrian Civilization. Oxford University Press, 1922.
- Shaked, Shaul. Dualism in Transformation: Varieties of Religion in Sasanian Iran. SOAS, 1994.
- Nasr, Seyyed Hossein. The Heart of Islam: Enduring Values for Humanity. HarperOne, 2004.
- Corbin, Henry. Spiritual Body and Celestial Earth: From Mazdean Iran to Shi‘ite Iran. Princeton University Press, 1977.
- The Qur’an: Surahs 2:97, 2:285, 7:179, 7:204, 16:102, 22:46, 42:51.