Gabr
Encyclopedia
Gabr (also gabrak, gawr, gaur, gyaur, gabre) is a New Persian
term originally used to denote a Zoroastrian
.
Historically, gabr was a technical term synonymous with mōg, "magus", denoting a follower of Zoroastrianism
, and it is with this meaning that the term is attested in very early New Persian texts such as the Shahnameh
. In time, gabr came to have a pejorative implication and was superseded in literature by the respectable Zardoshti, "Zoroastrian".
By the 13th century the word had come to be applied to a follower of any religion other than Islam
, and it has "also been used by the Muslim Kurds
, Turks
, and some other ethnic groups in modified forms to denote various religious communities other than Zoroastians, sometimes even in the sense of unbeliever
." As a consequence of the curtailment of social rights, non-Muslims were compelled to live in restricted areas, which the Muslim populace referred to as Gabristans.
In the Ottoman Empire, the Turkish version, giaur, was used to refer to Christians. This is sometimes still used today in former Ottoman territories and carries a strong pejorative meaning.
The etymology of the term is uncertain. "In all likelihood," gabr derives from the Aramaic gabrā, spelt GBRʼ, which – in written Middle Iranian languages
– serves as an ideogram that would be read as an Iranian language word meaning "man." (for the use of ideograms in Middle Iranian languages, see Pahlavi scripts
). During the Sassanid era (226-651), the ideogram signified a free (i.e. non-slave) peasant of Mesopotamia
. Following the collapse of the empire and the subsequent rise of Islam, it "seems likely that gabr used already in Sasanian times in reference to a section of Zoroastrian community in Mesopotamia, had been employed by the converted Persians in the Islamic period to indicate their Zoroastrian compatriots, a practice that later spread throughout the country." It has also been suggested that gabr might be a mispronounciation of Arabic kafir
"unbeliever," but this theory has been rejected on linguistic grounds: "there is no unusual sound in kafir that would require phonetic modification." Also, kafir as a generic word probably wouldn't refer to a specific revealed religion such as Zoroastrianism.
Persian language
Persian is an Iranian language within the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages. It is primarily spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and countries which historically came under Persian influence...
term originally used to denote a Zoroastrian
Zoroastrianism
Zoroastrianism is a religion and philosophy based on the teachings of prophet Zoroaster and was formerly among the world's largest religions. It was probably founded some time before the 6th century BCE in Greater Iran.In Zoroastrianism, the Creator Ahura Mazda is all good, and no evil...
.
Historically, gabr was a technical term synonymous with mōg, "magus", denoting a follower of Zoroastrianism
Zoroastrianism
Zoroastrianism is a religion and philosophy based on the teachings of prophet Zoroaster and was formerly among the world's largest religions. It was probably founded some time before the 6th century BCE in Greater Iran.In Zoroastrianism, the Creator Ahura Mazda is all good, and no evil...
, and it is with this meaning that the term is attested in very early New Persian texts such as the Shahnameh
Shahnameh
The Shahnameh or Shah-nama is a long epic poem written by the Persian poet Ferdowsi between c.977 and 1010 AD and is the national epic of Iran and related societies...
. In time, gabr came to have a pejorative implication and was superseded in literature by the respectable Zardoshti, "Zoroastrian".
By the 13th century the word had come to be applied to a follower of any religion other than Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
, and it has "also been used by the Muslim Kurds
Kurdish people
The Kurdish people, or Kurds , are an Iranian people native to the Middle East, mostly inhabiting a region known as Kurdistan, which includes adjacent parts of Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Turkey...
, Turks
Turkish people
Turkish people, also known as the "Turks" , are an ethnic group primarily living in Turkey and in the former lands of the Ottoman Empire where Turkish minorities had been established in Bulgaria, Cyprus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Greece, Kosovo, Macedonia, and Romania...
, and some other ethnic groups in modified forms to denote various religious communities other than Zoroastians, sometimes even in the sense of unbeliever
Infidel
An infidel is one who has no religious beliefs, or who doubts or rejects the central tenets of a particular religion – especially in reference to Christianity or Islam....
." As a consequence of the curtailment of social rights, non-Muslims were compelled to live in restricted areas, which the Muslim populace referred to as Gabristans.
In the Ottoman Empire, the Turkish version, giaur, was used to refer to Christians. This is sometimes still used today in former Ottoman territories and carries a strong pejorative meaning.
The etymology of the term is uncertain. "In all likelihood," gabr derives from the Aramaic gabrā, spelt GBRʼ, which – in written Middle Iranian languages
Middle Iranian languages
Middle Iranian may refer to any of a group of the Indo-European Iranian languages spoken between the 4th century BC and the 9th century AD:Western:*Parthian *Middle Persian Eastern:*Bactrian*Aryan*Sogdian*Khwarezmian...
– serves as an ideogram that would be read as an Iranian language word meaning "man." (for the use of ideograms in Middle Iranian languages, see Pahlavi scripts
Pahlavi scripts
Pahlavi or Pahlevi denotes a particular and exclusively written form of various Middle Iranian languages. The essential characteristics of Pahlavi are*the use of a specific Aramaic-derived script, the Pahlavi script;...
). During the Sassanid era (226-651), the ideogram signified a free (i.e. non-slave) peasant of Mesopotamia
Mesopotamia
Mesopotamia is a toponym for the area of the Tigris–Euphrates river system, largely corresponding to modern-day Iraq, northeastern Syria, southeastern Turkey and southwestern Iran.Widely considered to be the cradle of civilization, Bronze Age Mesopotamia included Sumer and the...
. Following the collapse of the empire and the subsequent rise of Islam, it "seems likely that gabr used already in Sasanian times in reference to a section of Zoroastrian community in Mesopotamia, had been employed by the converted Persians in the Islamic period to indicate their Zoroastrian compatriots, a practice that later spread throughout the country." It has also been suggested that gabr might be a mispronounciation of Arabic kafir
Kafir
Kafir is an Arabic term used in a Islamic doctrinal sense, usually translated as "unbeliever" or "disbeliever"...
"unbeliever," but this theory has been rejected on linguistic grounds: "there is no unusual sound in kafir that would require phonetic modification." Also, kafir as a generic word probably wouldn't refer to a specific revealed religion such as Zoroastrianism.
See also
- Gabr, meaning in Arabic = force
- AlgebraAlgebraAlgebra is the branch of mathematics concerning the study of the rules of operations and relations, and the constructions and concepts arising from them, including terms, polynomials, equations and algebraic structures...
Andalusian variation of Arabic surname El-Gabr, - Gabr Surname, very popular in Arabia, especially Egypt in Gharbiya and Dakahlia governorates
- majusMajusMajūs was originally a term meaning Zoroastrians . It was a technical term, meaning magus, and like its synonym gabr originally had no pejorative implications.In al-Andalus the pagan non-Christian population were called majus and could either have the status of mozarab or of...
i, the Arabic word for a Zoroastrian. - GabrōniDari (Zoroastrian)Dari is a Northwestern Iranian ethnolect spoken as a first language by an estimated 8,000 to 15,000 Zoroastrians in and around the cities of Yazd and Kerman in central Iran...
, a northwestern Iranian dialect which is used by Zoroastrians in YazdYazdYazd is the capital of Yazd Province in Iran, and a centre of Zoroastrian culture. The city is located some 175 miles southeast of Isfahan. At the 2006 census, the population was 423,006, in 114,716 families....
and KermanKerman- Geological characteristics :For the Iranian paleontologists, Kerman has always been considered a fossil paradise. Finding new dinosaur footprints in 2005 has now revealed new hopes for paleontologists to better understand the history of this area.- Economy :...
. - Zoroastrians in IranZoroastrians in IranZoroastrians in Iran are the oldest religious community of the nation, with a long history continuing up to the present day.Prior to the Islamization of Iran, Zoroastrianism was the primary religion of the Iranian peoples...
- ajamAjamAjam is a word used in Persian and Arabic literature but with different concepts. Ajam in Arabic has two primary meanings: "non-Arab" and "Persian".literally it has other meaning "one who is illiterate in language", "silent", or "mute", and refers to non-Arabs in general, or people of Southern...
, "illiterate", non-Arab, Iranian - ahl al-Kitab, "People of the BookPeople of the BookPeople of the Book is a term used to designate non-Muslim adherents to faiths which have a revealed scripture called, in Arabic, Al-Kitab . The three types of adherents to faiths that the Qur'an mentions as people of the book are the Jews, Sabians and Christians.In Islam, the Muslim scripture, the...
" - dhimmiDhimmiA , is a non-Muslim subject of a state governed in accordance with sharia law. Linguistically, the word means "one whose responsibility has been taken". This has to be understood in the context of the definition of state in Islam...
, "protected" - kafirKafirKafir is an Arabic term used in a Islamic doctrinal sense, usually translated as "unbeliever" or "disbeliever"...
, "unbeliever" - Irani
- Gabr, Gavre or Gabre (Zoroastrian)
- Gabrōni
- Magus