Tell me more ×
History Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for historians and history buffs. It's 100% free, no registration required.
up vote 5 down vote favorite
1

On one hand I've read that Shi'a Islam was the only religion allowed in the Safavid empire. On the other hand, the empire contained parts of Armenia and Georgia, but Armenians and Georgians are Christian to this day.

So, in what cases/times were other religions tolerated in the Safavid empire?

share|improve this question

1 Answer

up vote -4 down vote

Almost Safavid kings are righteous and doesn't force any people in Persian lands to any work or religion.

In Islam -> shia all prophets and theirs followers have respect. Always Safavid kings try to do shia's rules.

And Safavid dont have problem with other reilgion and sect for example sunnah , While the country's Sunni Ottomans with sunnah sect title fought with Iran. But they force in Safavids kingdom give ransom ( like tax ) ,but they were exempt from war.

But in other cases, like the Muslims of resources used and . Usually Was elected governor of the region from themselves for lack of rebellion and revolt.

There is no compulsion in religion changed , The Safavid tried to do Quran ,

No compulsion in religion. Quran - 2 (baqara) 255.

For exm: Wirte in history Shah (king) Tahmasp I get and invite shia scientist shahid sani -> mohaghigh karaki for guide him in do good jobs.
reference ( mafakhir-ol-islam 4 / page 347 - Rise and fall of the Safavids / page 106 )

update : First the Safavid king weren't shia they were Sunni of the Shafi'i sect doc-> R.M. Savory, "Safavid Persia" -> "The Cambridge History of Islam" pg 394 but when they king is sunni how can force them to shia ? But they shias help to Safavid because Safavid made shia to formal sect .

I have important question if the safavid want to compulsion people why invate the shia scientist from Najaf to Iran ,scientist can be compulsion people with sword ?

update reference document: 

 Rise and fall of the Safavids (Jafarian,Rasul)
 Religion and Politics in Safavid (Jafarian,Rasul)
 Jahanara history (Ghaffari Qazwini)
 History of political, social, economic, cultural and Iran during the Safavid ( Ghaffari fard ,Abassgholi )
 Introduction to analysis on political developments in Iran (Najfi & Musavi)
 Jahan goshaye khaghan
 Iran, in the time of Shah Ismail and Shah Tahmasp pg 126 ans next pages . 
 Lob ol tavarikh pg 394 and next pages .( Arbic )
 & ...

We do not agree with the accusation that foreign to us, All own defiance want destroy our country and history face.

I'm not say Safavid weren't war with shia's enemy ,every one tried to destroy shia Safavid retaliation them with sword, but NEVER compulsion to convert people religions.

share|improve this answer
I value your insight esp. because your profile says that you are based in Tehran, Iran, but this answer currently looks like an very-early draft and should be updated. I am also wondering how your lead sentence squares e.g. with this and this accounts, which claim that the Safavid kings required strict conversions. – Drux Jan 18 at 7:53
@Drux: And I value your insight too. But if you watch on them url not have reference(Citation_needed) , But the more of history about them written in Persian or Arabic lang , I give reference to you , and you can study more about that in On political, social, economic, cultural and Iran during the Safavid book , I'm not say all kingdom in Iran is good (same Qajar is bad) but Safavid empire's kings were wise, don't pay attention to all citation needed of wikipedia , Study written corrrect history : ) – Mahdi Parsa Jan 18 at 9:06
Sorry, downvote. While I too appreciate your perspective, hte answer as it currently stands simply cannot be right. For one example of a scholar who writes about this, see here: books.google.ie/… (p.8 - "[Ismail I] mandated that all regions under Safavid control accept Twelver Shi''ism"; p.104 begins an account of active measures for conversion in the 17th century, and these are just two almost-random examples drawn from the book). TBC – Felix Goldberg Jan 18 at 9:53
2  
I'm sure the issue has a lot of nuance and that was this great question was about. Your answer, as it currently stands, seeks to replace one blanket assertion ("The Safavids forcefully converted everybody") with another ("The wise Safavids were tolerant and converted no one by force") which is just wrong as the previous one. – Felix Goldberg Jan 18 at 9:54
@FelixGoldberg: I'm don't know why the some outside historians try to distort the wisdom and goodness of Safavid , It is usual but I offer you study original reference not outside,I give you some reference you get study and google translate is ready :) .** My answer is right** – Mahdi Parsa Jan 18 at 10:38
show 8 more comments

Your Answer

 
discard

By posting your answer, you agree to the privacy policy and terms of service.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.