The Arab invasion of Iran in the 7th century was not only a military conquest but also a cultural and linguistic assault. Before the invasion, Iran’s dominant language was Middle Persian, also known as Pahlavi, which had deep ties to the nation’s Zoroastrian heritage. However, following the Arab conquest, Pahlavi was systematically suppressed, as it was associated with the pre-Islamic Iranian identity and the Zoroastrian religion. Instead, a new form of Persian emerged, one heavily influenced by Arabic vocabulary and phonetics. The language spoken today—commonly called Farsi—is in fact derived from Dari Persian, a dialect that originated in Khorasan and was later standardized under Islamic rule.
In this article, I will discuss how Pahlavi was erased, how Arabic influences reshaped the Persian language, and how the very name “Farsi” itself is an Arabized version of “Parsi.”
The Suppression of Pahlavi and the Arabization of Iran
Pahlavi: The Pre-Islamic Language of Iran
Before the Arab invasion, Iran’s official language was Middle Persian (Pahlavi), which was used in the Sassanian Empire (224–651 AD). Pahlavi was the literary and administrative language of the empire, deeply intertwined with Zoroastrian scriptures and Iranian culture (Skjærvø, 2009). It was written in a script derived from Aramaic and had little to no Arabic influence. The language was used to document Iran’s history, mythology, and religious texts, including the Avesta, the holy book of Zoroastrianism.
However, after the Arab conquest, the use of Pahlavi was actively discouraged. The new rulers sought to impose Arabic as the dominant language in governance, religion, and education. Many Zoroastrian texts were destroyed or lost, and Iranian scholars were forced to either adopt Arabic or translate their works into the new, evolving Persian dialect that incorporated Arabic influences (Windfuhr, 2009).
The Rise of Dari Persian from Khorasan
As Arabic rule continued, a new version of Persian emerged—one that incorporated Arabic vocabulary while maintaining an Iranian grammatical structure. This form of Persian developed in Khorasan, an eastern region of Iran, and became known as Dari Persian (or simply “Dari”) (Perry, 1991). The name “Dari” comes from “dar,” meaning “court,” as it was the language of the Persianate courts under Islamic rule.
Dari Persian became the foundation of what is spoken today in Iran, Afghanistan, and Tajikistan. However, this was not the original language of all Iranians—it was a dialect that gained prominence under Islamic rule because it was less directly connected to Zoroastrianism than Pahlavi. While Dari Persian still retained some aspects of its Iranian roots, it was significantly influenced by Arabic vocabulary, phonetics, and even script.
How ‘Parsi’ Became ‘Farsi’
One of the most telling signs of the Arabization of Persian is the very name of the language itself. The original term for Persian was “Parsi” (پارسی), derived from the ancient Persian region of Parsa (Persis). However, due to the limitations of the Arabic language—particularly the inability to pronounce the letter “P” properly—the word “Parsi” was altered to “Farsi” (فارسی) (Windfuhr, 1979).
This phonetic change was not just a linguistic shift; it symbolized the forced Arabization of Iran’s cultural identity. Arabic, being the language of Islam, became dominant, and Persian speakers were compelled to conform. Over time, the term “Farsi” became widely accepted, even among Iranians, despite its origins as a forced Arabization of “Parsi.”
The Lasting Effects of Arabization on Persian
Today, the Persian language (Farsi) is still heavily influenced by Arabic. Linguists estimate that around 40% of Persian vocabulary is derived from Arabic (Perry, 1991). Many of these words pertain to religious, philosophical, and bureaucratic matters, reflecting the extent of Islamic influence over Iranian society.
Additionally, the Persian script itself is a modified version of the Arabic script, which replaced the native Pahlavi script. While some letters were added to accommodate Persian phonetics, the overall writing system remains Arabic in origin.
Despite these changes, modern Persian has resisted complete assimilation. Unlike other languages that succumbed entirely to Arabic (such as Coptic in Egypt or Berber in North Africa), Persian retained its Indo-Iranian grammatical structure, making it distinct from Arabic even though it borrows heavily from its vocabulary.
Conclusion: Reclaiming Iran’s Linguistic Identity
The erasure of Pahlavi and the imposition of Arabic influence on Persian were direct consequences of the Arab invasion. The shift from Pahlavi Persian to Dari Persian, and the Arabization of “Parsi” into “Farsi,” were deliberate efforts to break Iran’s connection to its Zoroastrian and pre-Islamic heritage.
While modern Persian (Farsi) is still a beautiful and poetic language, it carries the scars of centuries of Arabization. The very name “Farsi” is a reminder of how foreign rule attempted to reshape Iranian identity. Today, there is a growing movement among scholars and nationalists to restore Iran’s true linguistic heritage by using “Parsi” instead of “Farsi” and by reviving forgotten aspects of Pahlavi Persian.
As Iranians look to reclaim their rich history, understanding the true origins of their language is a crucial step in preserving their authentic cultural and national identity.
Citations
- Perry, J. (1991). Persian Language and Literature under Islamic Rule. The Cambridge History of Iran, Vol. 4, Cambridge University Press.
- Skjærvø, P. O. (2009). Middle Persian and Pahlavi Literature. The Oxford Handbook of Iranian Studies. Oxford University Press.
- Windfuhr, G. (1979). Persian Grammar: History and State of Its Study. Mouton Publishers.
- Windfuhr, G. (2009). The Iranian Languages. Routledge.
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