Table of Contents

Preface Reza Safa ix

Foreword George Braswell xiii

Acknowledgments xvii

Abbreviations of Organizations xxi

1 Introducing the Land of Persia and Early Persian History 1

2 Early Persian Religions, Judaism, and Christianity Before Islam 21

3 The Rise of Islam and the Role of Non-Muslims in Persian Islam 47

4 Types of Islam in Persia and Iran 99

5 Modern Protestant Missionary Efforts in Persia 121

6 Non-Muslims and the Islamic Revolution of 1979 169

7 Contemporary Christianity in Iran 199

8 The Persecution of Protestants in Modern Iran 219

9 Conclusion-The Future of Christian and Muslim Relations in Iran 237

Appendix I International Organizations Confronting Religious Persecution (2009) 261

Appendix II Statements from the Universal Islamic Declaration of Human Rights 267

Appendix III Timeline of Persian History 271

Appendix IV Chronological List of Rulers in Iran 275

Appendix V Ethnic and Religious Groups in Iran (1999) 277

Appendix VI Non-Muslim Religious Minorities 279

Glossary of Arabic and Persian Terms and Names 281

Selected Bibliography 305

Index 321