Iran Politics Club: Two Centuries of Silence Book (2025)

Two Centuries of Silence
Arab Muslim Invasion Occupation of Persian Empire
History Book in Persian and English: 10 Chapters
2nd Edition with Up-to-dated Material
Introduction: Ahreeman X
Author: Dr. Abdolhossein Zarrinkoob
Translator: Avid Kamgar
December 14, 2024

Ctesiphon the Sassanian Persian Empire Capital Restoration. In 6th Century AD, Ctesiphon was the largest city on earth and center of the wealth, power and academia. Arab Muslims plundered, ransacked and burned it to the ground. Ctesiphon’s famous Persian Rugs and Jewels were stolen, massive library and books were burned (Quran is the only book needed), men were murdered, women were raped, boys and girls were taken to Mecca as sex slaves and slave labor.

Introduction

For the first time we shall publish officially on the net, the 2nd and final edition of the historical masterpiece “Two Centuries of Silence” by Master Abdolhossein Zarrinkoob which translated to English by the wonderful history lover Avid Kamgar. Many history buffs, history students and history enthusiasts worldwide have been asking us to publish a specific book about the Arab Muslim invasion occupation of the Persian Empire in English. We have a great number of books in Persian in the IPC library about this subject yet a good one was needed in English to be added to the IPC Iran Online English Library. This book is the perfect candidate.

Ctesiphon Arch Entrance of the Sassanian Persian Empire Capital Restoration. In 6th Century AD, Ctesiphon was the Center of the World in Wealth, Power and Academia.

The books written on this subject are foremost Arabo-Islamic biased or Western biased. This book is not totally unbiased but the author tried to be as much as possible fair, yet this book is from the Persian point of view simply because the author is a famous Persian nationalist historian. This book is a classic amongst the Persian history books. This book is also quoted many times as a source in historical written works of the Persian historians.

Ctesiphon Palace Back Entrance of the Sassanian Persian Empire Capital Restoration. In 6th Century AD, Ctesiphon was the Center of the World in Wealth, Power and Academia, the largest city on Earth, the equal of New York City today.

About the Author

Dr. Abdolhossein Zarrinkoob is a valuable Persian historian, scholar, professor, journalist and author. His work is heavily emphasized, taught and quoted in scholarly circa and favorites amongst the students of history.

Ctesiphon Arch Entrance of the Sassanian Persian Empire Capital Ruins after Arab Muslim invasion occupation. This is what has left of Ctesiphon. This is what Islam does to the civilized world.

Dr. Abdolhossein Zarrinkoob (1923-1999) was born in Borujerd, Borujerd County, Lorestan Province, Iran. As a journalist he was the editor of various magazines including the Mehregan magazine for 5 years.

Ctesiphon Arch Entrance of the Sassanian Persian Empire Capital Semi Restoration of Ruins.

Dr. Zarrinkoob is an internationally known Persian scholar of Iranian History, Persian Literature and Islamic Studies. He received his Ph.D. from the Tehran University in 1953. Dr. Zarrinkoob also married her friend and classmate, the Persian scholar and author Dr. Qamar Aryan (1922-2012) on 1953 when they both received their Ph.Ds. Dr. Zarrinkoob was a professor at Tehran University, Oxford University, Sorbonne University and Princeton University. Dr. Zarinkoob spoke several languages including Persian, English, French, Arabic and Spanish.

Dr. Abdolhossein Zarrinkoob Persian historian, author, journalist, scholar, professor and philosopher. Dr. Zarrinkoob was a hardcore Iranian Nationalist.

Dr. Zarrinkoob wrote a great number of books on history and literature. Some of his books are classics and taught as textbooks in universities.

Dr. Abdolhossein Zarrinkoob and Dr. Qamar Aryan authors, scholars, colleagues and love birds! These two were classmates, friends, colleagues, dating, married couple and love birds, they done it all!

Abdolhossein Zarrinkoob Books

Dr. Zarrinkoob wrote many books. Below are some of his books translated to English, also his books in Persian:

Translated English Books
_____________________
* Sufism in its Historical Perspective (1970)
* Arab Conquest of Iran and its Aftermath (1975)
* Nizami, a Lifelong Quest for a Utopia (1977)
* Step by Step Up to Union with God (2009)
On Life and Beliefs of Rumi
* Two Centuries of Silence (2016)

Dr. Abdolhossein Zarrinkoob

Persian Books
_______________
* Transcript of Islam
(Karnameh Eslam)
* Two Centuries of Silence
(Do Qarn Sokut)
* History of the Iranian People
(Tarikh-e Mardom-e Iran)
Part 1: Before Islam: History of the Pre-Islamic Iran
Part 2: After Islam: History of the Post-Islamic Iran
* History of the Post-Islamic Iran
7 Parts
(Tarikh-e Iran Pas Az Eslam)
* Dusk of Islam
History of Islam and Fall of the Islamic Empire (The Caliphate)
(Bamdad-e Eslam)
* Escape from School
On Life and Beliefs of Abu Hamed Ghazali
(Farar az Madreseh)
* From Alley of Unruly
On Life and Beliefs of Hafez
(Az Kuche-ye Rendan)
* Good Hadith of Sa’di
On Life and Beliefs of Sa’di
(Hadis-e Khosh-e Sa’di)
* Step by Step Up to Union with God
On Life and Beliefs of Rumi
(Pele Pele ta Molaqat-e Khoda)
* Flame of Tur
On Life and Beliefs of Hallaj
(Sho’le-ye Tur)
* Sound of Simorq’s Wings
On Life and Beliefs of Attar
(Seda-ye Bal-e Simorq)
* Book of Greats
On Ferdowsi and Shahnameh
(Namvarnameh)
* Technique of Poetry
(Fan-e She’r)
* Poetry without Lie, Poetry without Mask
(She’r-e Bi doruq, She’r-e Bi Neqab)
* Sufism in its Historical Perspective
(Tasavof Irani dar Manzar-e Tarikhi-ye An)
* History of Iran from the Beginning to Fall of the Pahlavi Dynasty
(Ruzgaran: Tarikh-e Iran az Aqaz ta Soqut-e Saltanat-e Pahlavi)

And much more ……

To read Dr. Zarrinkoob’s books in Persian, visit IPC Iran Online Persian Library of the IPC Iran Online Library which is the largest Iranian online library on the net.

IPC Iran Online Persian Library

Glory of Ctesiphon Arch Entrance of the Sassanian Persian Empire Capital at its Hay Day.

About the Translator

Avid Kamgar is a worthy translator; furthermore, history enthusiast and scholar. You have to be a lover of history to take the grand task of translating a masterpiece of this magnitude. Avid Kamgar tried to use simple and clear language for reader of all ages to comprehend the contents. He avoided using complicated jargons as much as possible. Avid Kamgar had done his best to translate Persian to English in a way to make sense without changing the intention of the author. It is not an easy task to translate Persian to English when it comes to Persian Poetry, Literature and definitely History! Overall, the translator had done a fine job translating this superb history book.

Ctesiphon the Sassanian Persian Empire Capital at its Hay Day Far View.

Two Centuries of Silence Chapters

Table of Contents
________________
List of Illustrations
Translator’s Preface
Author’s preface to the second edition

1. The Desert Rulers
Tranquil Days
Desert Dwellers
Hira
Banu Lakhm
Hāmāvarān (Ancient Yemen)
Himyar Kings
Commercial Rivalries
Al-Ukhdood Ashāb (People of the Ditch)
Ashāb-e Fīl (Elephant Owners)
Dhi Yazan
Sayf Dhi Yazan
Vahrez Daylami
Murder of Sayf Dhi Yazan
Persians in Yemen

2. Storm and Sand
Muhammad’s Message
The New Faith
Arab Larceny
Mobilizing for War
In Qadisiyah
Conclusion of the War
On to Madā’in
Conquest of Madā’in
Battle of Jalula
Shūshtar and Shūsh
About the Treason
The Final Battle
Conquest of Nahāvand

3. The Extinct Fire
Beginning of a Tragedy
Local Resistances
Umar’s Assassination
The Invaders’ Conduct
Mawāli and the Umayyad
Iranian Superiority
Al-Mokhtār’s Revolt
Al-Hajjaj
Abd al-Rahman Ash’ath
Zaid ibn Ali’s Revolt
Yahya ben Zaid
Umayyad’s Fall

4. A Language Lost
Ancient Melodies
The New Message
Lost language
Book Burning
Transfer of the Divan
Silence Begins
Cries of the Voiceless
Parsi Songs
A Lyric in Basra
Songs in Balkh

5. The Black Banner
Morning of Resurrection
Chaotic Environment
Abu Moslem
The Arab Decline
Siyah-Jāmegān
Battle of the Zāb
Behāfarīd
Mansur’s Paranoia
Abu Moslem’s Ending
Revenge for Abu Moslem’s Murder
Rāvandian
Sinbad (Sunpadh)
Ostadsis (Ustadh Sis)
Widespread Rebellions

6. Beyond Āmūdarya (Oxus River)
Transoxiana
Bokhara Khātūn
Qutayba ibn Muslim
Invasion of Samarkand
Is’hāq al-Turk
Veiled Prophet

7. The City of One Thousand and One Nights
Construction of Baghdad
The City of One Thousand and One Nights
The Baghdad Caliph
Abbasid Government
Barmakian
The Barmakian Downfall
Zubaidah Monkey
Barmakian and the Alids
Ali ibn Isa
Hamza ibn Adharak
In the Caliphate’s Court
Sahl Dynasty
Rebellion Spreads
In Baghdad
Return to Baghdad

8. Tidings of Resurrection
Iran’s Resurrection
Khorramdīnān
Discrepancies in Narratives
Bābak
False Narratives
Bābak’s Revolution
Afshin and Māzyar
Baghdad Turks
Rivalry Amongst the Emirs
About Bābak and Afshin
Byzantine
Theophobus
Bābak’s Wars
War and Deception
Bābak’s Capture
Bābak’s Ending
Afshin
Oshrūsana
In the Service of the Caliph
The Situation in Khorasan
Rivalry with Tāherian
Mu’tasim’s Suspicion
Māzyar
Māzyar and the House of Tāher
Afshin’s Game
Māzyar’s Rebellion
Year 224/839
Defeat
Conspiracy Exposed
Afshin’s Enemies
Ahmad b. Abi Dawud
In Azerbaijan
Afshin’s Fall
Attempting to Flee
Beginning of the Conspiracy
Afshin’s Trial
Afshin and Māzyar
Afshin’s Ending
Tāherian

9. Clash of Beliefs
Feud in the Light of Knowledge
Zarathustra’s Faith
Corruptions and Conflicts
Māni Faith (Manichaeism)
Mazdak
Zandakeh and Ta’weel of commands
Zurvanis
Doubt and Confusion
Christianity
Buddhism
Philosophical Disputes
Philosophy of Dualism
Zandik
Abdullah ben Muqaffa
Bashshār ben Burd
Proliferation of Zandik
Ma’mūn’s Debate Gatherings
Dualism Debates
Doubt-Dispelling Exposition
Gojastak Abālish
Shu’ubiyya

10. End of a Night
Final Years
Turkish Influence
Agents’ Cruelties
Government Corruption
The Viziers
Viziers’ Wealth
Kharāj and Jizya
Ahl al-Dhimmah
Kharāj Collection
Aljā’
Chaos and Rebellion
Vagabonds and Robbers
Oppressions
Arab Corruption
After Two Hundred Years
A Panorama

Cover Picture

Tāgh-e Kasra also called Eyvān-e Madā’in (Khosro’s Gallery) is an Iranian monument from the Sasanian era―built in 540 CE― presently located in Iraq. It is the only visible remaining structure of the ancient city of Ctesiphon/Tīsfūn. The 37 meter (121 feet) high archway, is the largest single-span vault of unreinforced brickwork in the world.

List of Illustrations

1. A 15th-century miniature depicting construction of al-Khornaq castle in Hira, by Kamāl ed-Din Behzad
2. The opposing armies of Iran led by Kay Khosro, and Tūrān, under the command of Afrasiab - Miniature from Shahnameh
3. Ancient commercial routes between Asia, Europe, and Africa
4. Egyptian woven pattern, copy of a Sasanian silk import, based on a fresco of Khosro II fighting Axum forces in Yemen
5. Map of the Sasanian Empire
6. Frontiers of the Sasanian and Byzantine empires with Muhammad’s caliphate in 634 CE
7. An 1824 drawing of Tagh-e-Kasra (Khosro) by Captain Hart
8. Remains of Sasanian architecture in Shūshtar
9. Iran’s mountains (Jebāl)
10. Map of Sasanian provinces of Assyria and its surrounding provinces
11. An 1840 Painting of the Sasanian Nahāvand Castel, by Eugène Flandin
12. The supposed tomb of Nahavandi (Abu Lulu).
13. 260 CE, marble mosaic, from the Tāgh-e Kasra in Bishapur, Iran (presumably Nagisa)
14. A 7th-century plate depicting musicians from the Sassanid era
15. Greater Khorasan
16. Map of the Āmūdarya watershed
17. Silver dirham following Sasanian motives, struck in the name of Ubayd Allah
18. The Round City of Baghdad between 767 and 912 CE, by William Muir
19. Zartoshti Temple (Āteshkadeh) in Yazd, Iran
20. An illustration from Hamzanama.
21. Oshtoran Kooh (Camels Mountain) in the Zagros Mountains range, Lorestan, Iran
22. View of the landscape from Bābak’s fortress
23. Bābak Castle from the camp
24. Ardeshīr I receives the ring of power from Ahura Mazda.
25. Provinces governed by the Tāherian

Ctesiphon the Sassanian Persian Empire Capital at its Hay Day Side View.

Translator’s Preface
Avid Kamgar

I arrived at the Dulles airport, Washington, DC, in September 1966, to begin my graduate studies at the University of Maryland. It was exactly half a century ago, a time when Iran was scarcely known in the States, or mentioned in its media. And on the rare occasions that it was, the news focused on Iran’s oil, carpets, cats, or gossiped about the Shah and his family. Then, most Americans believed Iranians were Arabs.

Today―50 years later―not a day goes by that we do not hear something about Iran, albeit mostly negative. And although by now most people know that Iranians are not Arabs, Iran and Iranians remain in most part an enigma.

Of course it is not easy to understand a nation so remote and so different by looking at it through the news media’s smeared glass. Some may know about Persia’s glorious past, about its ancient great kings, Kurosh (Cyrus) and Dariush (Darius), or about the Sassanian Empire, but it is difficult to make a connection between the great Persian Empire and the emerging country that is now. In between there is fourteen centuries of history when much happened―some fifteen different dynasties ruled Iran, the country fought many different aggressors, it occupied and was occupied, it was conquered, dismembered, and came back together many times as a sovereign country―among which the most astonishing and momentous were the two centuries immediately following the Arab/Muslim conquest of Iran. I like to quote Goethe who in his famous West–östlicher Divan [West-Eastern Divan] wrote:

“When we turn our attention to a peaceful, civilized people, the Persians, we must—since it was actually their poetry that inspired this work—go back to the earliest period to be able to understand more recent times. It will always seem strange to the historians that no matter how many times a country has been
conquered, subjugated and even destroyed by enemies, there is always a certain national core preserved in its character, and before you know it, there reemerges a long-familiar native phenomenon… .”

This book is the saga of 200 years of struggle by Iranians in order to free themselves from the yoke of Muslim Arabs―elegantly and passionately told by Professor Zarrinkoob. For its readers, this book will hopefully bring a little more grasp of Iranians and their culture and what forms the foundation of today’s Iran.

The book begins by elucidating the key reasons for the success of Muslim Arabs in their assault on Iran; a fact that was not written in the stars, nor was it an act of God. One critical element in the Arab victory was the weakness of both the Sassanian and Byzantine empires, at the time, caused by the wars they had waged against each other in the past decades. But there were other factors―within Iran’s government and society―that brought about the defeat.

The Sassanian Empire (Ērānshahr in Pahlavi language/Middle Persian: from 224 to 651 CE), was the last Iranian empire before the rise of Islam. It succeeded the Ashkanian (Parthian) Empire, and established an empire roughly within the borders achieved by the Hakhamaneshian (Achaemenids). Iran was respected as a leading world power alongside its neighbor and adversary the Roman Byzantine Empire, for over 400 years. At its greatest extent, the Sassanian Empire encompassed all of today’s Iran, Iraq, Syria, Palestine, Lebanon Jordan, Israel, Egypt, Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Daghestan, South Ossetia, Abkazia, large parts of Turkey, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Yemen, island of Bahrain, Kuwait, and other Persian Gulf States.

During the Sasanian period not only the Persian culture impacted the Roman culture considerably, but its influence reached as far as Western Europe, Africa, China and India, and played a prominent role in the formation of both European and Asian medieval art. And then much of what later became known as Islamic culture in art, architecture, music as well as math, medicine, sciences and other subject matters was the transfer from the Sassanians to the Muslim world, through the efforts of Iranians.

Sadly, the rise of Muslim Arabs in mid-7th century came at a time when Persia had exhausted its human and material resources, due to decades of warfare. Already in late 6th-century, the Sassanian reign, in spite of its apparent majesty and splendor, was on a path to decline and chaos. At the end of the Khosrow I period, the army was disobedient, the clergy corrupt, and the country unstable. The corruption had its roots in the power of the Zoroastrian priests. Dispersion and disagreement in the opinions and choices were becoming visible, and the clergy were awash in hypocrisy, bigotry, lies, and bribery.

Mazdak, and before him Mani, tried to bring a transformation to the spiritual and religious state of affairs but did not achieve their goals. Mazdak faced resistance from the clergy and opposition by the army, which brought about revolt and destruction. Khosrow I’s prudence and decisiveness―which came with
extraordinary harshness―suppressed this revolt on the surface, but could not uproot this injustice and corruption, and with his death, in 579, the clergy and the army resumed their treasonous acts.

His successor’s, Hormozd’s reign was cut short by opposition from the clergy and the army. And the excessive pleasure seeking of the next heir, Khosrow II, (r. 590–628) did not put him in a position to bring order to the chaos. Even though he achieved some military success, his futile wars, and all the luxury that he amassed, did nothing but drain the country’s coffers and lifeblood. The treasonous act that sullied Kavadh II (r. Feb. 628–Sept. 628) hands with the blood of his father was the act of the army elites and the clergy. From then on these two classes of the society turned the government―which by then was merely an empty name―into a circus. The army high commands such as Shahrbarāz, Pīrūz and Farrokh Hormozd took the same road that Bahrām Choobīn had taken before them, and each for a day or two usurped the crown and the throne. Ardeshīr, Kavadh’s infant son, and Khosrow II’s daughters Pourāndokht and Āzarmidokht, who succeeded Ardeshīr one after another—none had the power to contend with the army’s influence and greed. And a few others who came to this shaky and unstable throne were either killed or deposed.

Yazdgerd III (624–651), the last surviving royalty from the Sassanian stock―an 8-year-old minor―who occupied the throne in 632 could not accomplish anything either, and became victim to an inauspicious end that destroyed the Sassanian Empire, when a year later the Arabs attacked.

In the years leading to the Arab invasion, the rebellious army and the corrupt clergy cared not about the country and had no intention beyond seeking profit and pleasure. The artisans and the farmers, who carried the heavy burden of providing for the elites, had nothing to gain from defending the status quo.
Moreover, the country found itself on the verge of annihilation and it took only one blow, in this case by the Arabs, to throw it into a catastrophic storm. The country was unable and to some degree unwilling to fight the new religion. With that, a populous country that was cultured, civilized and orderly became the
arena of a most heart-rending tempest for two centuries.

With the Arab conquest and occupation, Iran ceased to have a national identity and its own language. However, as Edward G. Browne has eloquently scripted, this two century period is:

“not a blank page in the intellectual life of its people. It is, on the contrary, a period of immense and unique interest, of fusion between the old and the new, of transformation of forms and transmigration of ideas, but in no wise of stagnation or death. Politically, it is true, Persia ceased for a while to enjoy a separate national existence, being merged in that great Muhammadan empire that stretched from Gibraltar to the Jaxartes, but in the intellectual domain she soon began to assert the supremacy to which the ability and subtlety of her people entitled her. Take from what is generally called Arabian science—from exegesis, tradition, theology, philosophy, medicine, lexicography, history, biography, even Arabic grammar—the work contributed by Persians, and the best part is gone. Even the forms of State organisation were largely adapted from Persian models, as said in al-Fakhri Islamic History, written in 1302 CE,
on the organisation of the diwans or Government offices.”

To mention a few editorial notes: i) The original book contains no pictures or maps. All the pictures are inserted by the translator to help with visualization; ii) Added comments or references by the translator are indicated by letters TR; iii) Double quotes are used only where the author has indicated. Otherwise a single quote is used to indicate the conversations; iv) The transliteration is simply what sounds closest to an Iranian ear, at the cost of possibly some confusion with what is used in western writing.

In translating the words of Professor Zarrinkoob I have tried to stay as close as possible to his style, without making it sound too foreign to the English-speaking reader. How successful I have been in this endeavor is a question.

In the course of this work I benefitted greatly from the help of a few. Most and foremost I am indebted to Mary Claire Mahaney for editing a major portion of this book. I would like to thank Mahmoud Fazel Birjandi for his expert help in clarifying some of the Arabic phrases and vague passages. My special thanks go to Soussan Mehrassa who patiently paced the streets of Tehran and Shiraz with me, searching for reference books. I am also grateful to my family for their support, Behrooz, Behzad, and Saman Kamgar-Parsi, Nassime, Kurosh, and Dariush Ruch-Kamgar. Lastly I hope that in my translation I have done justice to the work of the great historian Abdolhossein Zarrinkoob.

Avid Kamgar
July 2016 / Tīr 1395

Dr. Abdolhossein Zarrinkoob, great Persian historian, read and study his books in IPC Iran Online Library, the largest Iranian Online Library on the net. May his great spirit be eternal. Dr. Zarrinkoob smiling at you, the future generation of Iran. We are the messengers to take the message and spread it to you. Spread the word, so we can keep our culture, language and history alive.

Author’s Preface for 2nd Edition
Abdolhossein Zarrinkoob

As I’ve seen it, no one writes a book,
But to say, when he scans it another day
Had I said it this way, it would have been better, and
Had I added that word, it would have rung nicer.
(Emād Kāteb)

Upon revising this book for a new edition, I did not find acceptable publishing it with no additions or deletions. Who amongst us looks at a book that he wrote long ago and does not find in it, gaffes and omissions? It is not only the likes of Emād Kāteb who are griped with this obsession; many others are. But if what drove me were merely such vacillations, perhaps I would be content with changing a few words here and moving a few phrases there―as most do when revising their book. Instead I altered the first book in order and in style, and took it across another path. In the remarks of scholars and critics on the first edition, what I found justified, I accepted with gratitude, deliberated on, and allowed for. When the quest is search for truth, what purpose is served if I become defiant about what I had erroneously assumed hitherto, and to rebel and hold pointless grudges? Thus, I picked up my pen and crossed out what was dubious, dark, and incorrect. Many such instances were occasions that in the past―either due to immaturity or by prejudice, I’m not certain which―I had been unable to rightly acknowledge the faults, iniquities, and defeat of Iran. Those days, my soul, full of epic poems, was bursting with so much passion that I considered all that was pure, moral, and heavenly to be Iranian and whatever that was not of Iran―that is, ancient Iran―I deemed wicked, inferior and dishonest.

In the years that followed the publication of this book―during which not for a moment did I neglect to work and reflect on this period in Iran’s history―doubts rightly set in. I realized the injustice of my opinion, and grasped the culpability of this belief, which had not escaped the notice of the clear-sighted, and put right that mistaken and biased view, with the opportunity that this revision has accorded to me. After all, my obligation to the readers of this book is not to―knowingly or not― paint the ancient history with hypocrisy, lies, arrogance, and deceit. Quite the opposite, my pledge to them is to seek the truth, and
divorce it from what is false and deceiving. And so I did not consider possible, to not strike through what I recognized to be untrue or suspicious, a product of my immaturity and quarrelsomeness, and to mislead―along with myself―the readers, who perhaps more than is warranted, trust my word.

This quest for truth, which I held as my maxim, burdened me with yet another onus―that I should, in observance of truth, clarify what I had left vague in that condensed book. The young reader who had read my previous version was left with questions on his mind that I had not addressed there.

What was the reason behind the Sassanian downfall? How did the uncouth Bedouins take in their hand the fate of an immense and glorious civilization such as that? During these two centuries―about which our recent historians have remained silent―why did Farsi (Persian), like an invisible lost language, remained obscure and traceless? At the time when Iranian swordsmen revolted against the Arabs by any pretext, and fought the Arabs and Muslims, how did Zoroastrian priests argue and debate against the Muslim faith? Such questions that passed through everyone’s mind, I should have answered there. But in the first edition I had not dealt with these issues, hoping that given the opportunity―in a new edition―I could expand on them. Now that time is here. But why I named a book, which tells the tale of the most turbulent period in Iran’s history, Two Centuries of Silence, and not Two Centuries of Chaos and Uproar?

This question was asked by one of the critics, after the publication of the first edition. Had this dear critic read my book cover to cover―with enough care and patience―he would have found his answer. Was it not that during these two centuries the Iranian language had chosen to be silent, and did not speak, but with the language of sword? Even so, for the new edition of the book, perhaps it would have been more fitting if I had adopted a new title. But what need is there for a new name? This book, in its infancy, was known by that name. What harm is there to know it with the same name―now that it has grown?

At any rate, what prompted me against reissuing this book without alterations was my obligation to seek the truth. But in this revision did I do my duty properly? I do not know, and I am still of the opinion that the moment a history writer chooses a topic, he has strayed from neutrality, that is integral to truth seeking. However, such cause for deviating from truth, the reader can forgive. And I should be happy, if I have not digressed from it any more than this. All the same, I fear that I may not have been able to avoid bias and vanity. Yet, on this account I have no illusions. I do not claim that in my search I have arrived at the truth, as I do not claim that I have performed my responsibility as an investigative historian. This is my offering before your eye, that I present to you with great humility.

Abdolhossein Zarrinkoob
Parvardin 1336 / April 1957

Two Centuries of Silence Book by Dr. Abdolhossein Zarrinkoob, translated by Avid Kamgar

Two Centuries of Silence Book

Now you are ready to read the book:

Two Centuries of Silence English Book

Two Centuries of Silence Persian Book

For more additional readings on the subject:

Iran Politics Club: Two Centuries of Silence Book (2025)

References