Today is a blessed day of Bad Izad and month of Azar, the 22th day of Azar in the year 3759 Zoroastrian calendar, Tuesday, 16 Azar, 1400 solar, 7 December, 2021 AD.
Ahmad Tafazoli was a linguist, Iranologist, researcher, translator, specialist in the Middle Persian language, and professor of ancient languages at the University of Tehran, born on 16 December 1937 in Isfahan.
He was one of the world’s experts in Middle Iranian languages, particularly Pahlavi and Parthian languages. Membership in the Asian Association of Paris since 1971, membership in the International Association of Iranian Inscriptions (UK) since 1972, membership in the International Committee of Acta Iranica (Belgium) since 1981, membership in the founding board of the National Works Association since 1980, membership in the Center for the Great Islamic Encyclopedia since 1987, a permanent member of the Academy of Persian Language and Literature since 1991 are some of the reasons for Ahmad Tafazoli’s presence in cultural assemblies and meetings.
On September 13, 1996, St. Petersburg State University presented Ahmad Tafazoli with an honorary doctorate in Iranian studies. Among his works: Dictionary of The Spirit of Wisdom (Menog i Xrad), 1969, translation of The Spirit of Wisdom, first edition, 1975, Some types of primitive human beings and the first king in the legendary history of the Iranians (book), Volume 1 and 2 by Arthur Emanuel Christensen in collaboration with Jaleh Amoozgar (translation and research), Tehran, Persian Mythology (book) by John Hinnells (translation) in partnership with Jaleh Amoozgar, Story of Zoroaster’s life in collaboration with Jaleh Amoozgar, The Pahlavi language of literature and its grammar (book) in collaboration with Jaleh Amoozgar.
Ahmad Tafazoli completed his primary education in Tehran, and in 1956, he received a first-degree medal in culture from the Academy of Arts and received a literary diploma. In 1959, he graduated from the Faculty of Persian Language and Literature, University of Tehran, achieving first rank. In 1961, he went to England and entered the field of ancient Iranian culture and languages at the School of Oriental Languages of the University of London. In 1965, he received his master’s degree. Before returning to Iran, he spent a short research period in Paris.
In 1966, he received a doctorate in ancient languages from the University of Tehran. The subject of his dissertation was the correction and translation of Sutkarnask and Vertsht Mansarnask from Dinkard and the comparison of these two nask (each section of Avesta) with Avesta texts, with the guidance of Dr Sadeghkia. From 1958 to 1966, along with his education, he was employed by the Public Culture Department as a researcher. From 1966 – 1968, he did research in the Iranian cultural foundation.
In 1968, he began teaching at the University of Tehran. In 1991, he was a permanent member of the Academy of Persian Language and Literature, and since 1994 he was the scientific and research deputy of the academy. In addition to being an expert in ancient Iranian languages, he was fluent in Arabic, fluent in English, French, German, and Persian literature, as well as Russian.
On January 15, 1996, Tafazoli left his office in Tehran University towards home (in Shemiran) but never reached home. The tragic death of Professor Ahmad Tafazoli, which occurred in the middle of the night in Tehran, was a great spiritual and scientific catastrophe for Iran. This tragedy which was blamed on a car accident, took away one of the most literate professors and scholars in Iran and the world of Iranology.
Baad day (the wind) is the name of the 22nd day of the month in the Zoroastrian calendar, and wind means the air. In Zoroastrian culture, air is one of the four sacred elements and the other three are water, fire and earth. In Iranian culture keeping the four elements clean is the duty of every human being. In Avesta, the god Vayu (wind) is the companion and collaborator of the gods of water, fire, and earth. God Vayu (God of “wind” or “air”) has always come with God Ram. It is stated in 30 days of the Avesta: whoever is protected by the wind (baad) will always be victorious.
The god Vayu or the god of the wind, has always come with the god Ram. The symbol of this day in Zoroastrianism is the Dracocephalum flower. “Vay or Vayu” wind” has dual faces, good and evil, because the current passes through both wondrous and imperfect worlds. It is a benefactor, and at the same time, it can destroy everything and everyone with its destructive power.
In Pahlavi, it has two sides: good and bad, and in Avesta the good side, which is the enemy of the evil powers, is praised. The god Vayu was worshipped as an important deity in the 15th Yasht of Avesta, and this praise continued until the Parthian and Sassanid eras. In ancient Iranian culture she is the deity or the goddess of the wind.
This god was the spirit of life for all living beings and the spirit of the world and the universe. Vayu is also the air in which all living things are destroyed at death. God of the wind is reported in the Avesta as follows: seeker, honorable, overpowering, regressive, progressive, enduring, the hardest, the strongest, the breaker, the flamed, and so on.
