Lessons on co-existence from ancient Persia

2026-03-16 - 00:04

Several recent events in Malaysia are very troubling. Two cases of individuals stepping on the Quran and others almost waging a war against temples without land titles standing on government or private land, or desecrating Hindu physical symbols, are raising tensions. Social media debate on this is aflame with emotional outbursts and inconsiderate remarks. In one case, cars were set on fire. On the ground, there is a feeling that the government and the police are not doing enough; that they are afraid to antagonise some of those who have made inflammatory remarks or acted provocatively. On the global front, there’s no sign of an end to the latest war to erupt – between the US and Israel on one side and Iran on the other, following an attack by the former on the latter on Feb 28. The war is spiralling out of control, with Iran attacking oil refineries and civilian targets such as airports in the Gulf nations. The US-Israel alliance has also struck Iranian oil depots. This, along with the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, has reduced oil supplies, sending prices soaring and causing suffering to everyone dependent on oil from this region. As I see this tragedy unfold on the world stage, and the turbulence created by some irresponsible individuals in Malaysia that could lead to catastrophic events, I am reminded of the foolishness of mankind. We never seem to learn that no one wins in a conflict; that everyone suffers in some way or the other. It is not too late though to put a stop to this foolishness in Malaysia, if not in West Asia. In my previous column, I mentioned that the Cyrus Cylinder – the kingly proclamation on clay by Cyrus the Great 2,551 years ago – is one of the earliest known accounts embodying principles associated with human rights today. The Achaemenid Empire of Cyrus the Great (559–530 BCE), straddled all of today’s West Asia, covering more than 70 ethnic and cultural communities. The emperor of this first Persian Empire stressed peace, freedom of religion and mutual respect. After conquering Babylon in 539 BCE, Cyrus issued a decree, recorded on what became known as the Cyrus Cylinder, allowing thousands of captives and displaced people to return to their homelands. Cyrus ordered the repair and reopening of temples of various peoples that had been closed or damaged under previous rulers and, according to the Cylinder, returned “divine statues” to their original cities. He also funded temple rebuilding efforts. This was a radical departure from previous rulers. Cyrus may have had his faults but through his strategic wisdom or statecraft, he transformed conquered peoples into willing subjects who appreciated the religious freedom and breadth of culture. In this, he was influenced by Zoroastrian values. Its founder Zoroaster was one of the first to give voice to the golden rule when he said: “Don’t do to others what isn’t good for you.” Neither Cyrus nor his successors forced Zoroastrianism on those whom they conquered. Nor did they try to convert them. With the advent of Islam, however, Zoroastrianism lost its hold and a small group of its adherents fled to settle in India, citing persecution. Today there are only about 15,000 Zoroastrians in Iran. According to World Population Review, there are only about 120,000 Zoroastrians worldwide. The largest number – 61,000 – live in India. One of those who succeeded Cyrus, Darius I (ruled from 522-486), built the famous Persepolis, a capital city that showed off the diverse cultures of the empire. Later emperors added to the complex. At the entrance to the city was a huge portal known as the “Gate of All Nations”, signifying the welcoming Persian attitude towards others. Alas, leaders and governments of Iran in recent decades have forgotten the lessons of the Cyrus Cylinder – which today exists as a mere museum piece – as they have the respectful attitude declared by the gates of Persepolis. They have been accused of cruelty to their own people and of destabilising the region using proxies. Today, I fear, the entire world is losing this welcoming attitude, this acceptance of different religions and cultures. Too many conflicts today arise from religious differences. It is no different in Malaysia. We are increasingly becoming exclusive instead of being inclusive. Some of us have become noisy in our disrespect of the religions or cultures of others. Some of us think we are championing our religion by denigrating that of others. How ignorant. How sad. We can all learn a lesson in tolerance and co-existence from the ancient Persians, as we can from other civilisations that promoted peace and co-existence, and even from the earlier generation of Malaysians. Not doing so will result in conflict that serves no one – just look at the war in West Asia, a war that is already causing trouble to everyone in a connected world, including us. The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of FMT.