Ma`rifat Adyan

Family formation and procreation form part of ancient Iranian culture, particularly because in Zoroastrian cosmology, humans play a crucial role in destroying demons and renewing the world, and polygamy would further this goal. However, some contemporary Zoroastrian writers believe that polygamy was never permissible. This research aims to demonstrate the permissibility of polygamy among Iranians from ancient times to the contemporary era. It seeks to answer whether polygamy is legitimate in religious and historical texts and what arguments are advanced by those who deny its legitimacy. Using a descriptive-analytical method, this study concludes that, contrary to the claims of contemporary Zoroastrian writers, polygamy was prevalent among ancient Iranians from time immemorial and was never prohibited. Procreation, political alliances with other tribes, and excessive preference for sons justified the persistence of this custom. In the modern era, it was first the Parsis of India, influenced by Western culture, who opposed this custom, and later Iranian Zoroastrians followed suit.