Query: According to some, Zoroastrianism's major features have been influential.

Relevant passages:
Zoroastrianism <=SEP=> Zoroastrianism , or more natively Mazdayasna , is one of the world 's oldest extant religions , `` combining a cosmogonic dualism and eschatological monotheism in a manner unique -LSB- ... -RSB- among the major religions of the world '' . Ascribed to the teachings of the Iranian prophet Zoroaster ( or Zarathustra ) , it exalts a deity of wisdom , Ahura Mazda ( Wise Lord ) , as its Supreme Being . Major features of Zoroastrianism , such as messianism , heaven and hell , and free will have , some believe , influenced other religious systems , including Second Temple Judaism , Gnosticism , Christianity , and Islam . With possible roots dating back to the second millennium BCE , Zoroastrianism enters recorded history in the 5th-century BCE , and along with a Mithraic Median prototype and a Zurvanist Sassanid successor it served as the state religion of the pre-Islamic Iranian empires from around 600 BCE to 650 CE . Zoroastrianism was suppressed from the 7th century onwards following the Muslim conquest of Persia of 633-654 . Recent estimates place the current number of Zoroastrians at around 2.6 million , with most living in India and in Iran . Besides the Zoroastrian diaspora , the older Mithraic faith Yazdânism is still practised amongst Kurds .   The religious philosophy of Zoroaster divided the early Iranian gods of Proto-Indo-Iranian tradition . The most important texts of the religion are those of the Avesta , the Zoroastrians ' holy book . In Zoroastrianism , the creator Ahura Mazda , through the Spenta Mainyu ( Good Spirit , `` Bounteous Immortals '' ) is an all-good `` father '' of Asha ( Truth , `` order , justice '' ) , in opposition to Druj ( `` falsehood , deceit '' ) and no evil originates from `` him '' . `` He '' and his works are evident to humanity through the six primary Amesha Spentas and the host of other Yazatas , through whom worship of Mazda is ultimately directed . Spenta Mainyu adjoined unto `` truth '' oppose the Spirit 's opposite , Angra Mainyu and its forces born of Akəm Manah ( `` evil thinking '' ) .   Zoroastrianism has no major theological divisions , though it is not uniform ; modern-era influences having a significant impact on individual and local beliefs , practices , values and vocabulary , sometimes merging with tradition and in other cases displacing it . In Zoroastrianism , the purpose in life is to `` be among those who renew the world ... to make the world progress towards perfection '' . Its basic maxims include :   Humata , Hukhta , Huvarshta , which mean : Good Thoughts , Good Words , Good Deeds .  There is only one path and that is the path of Truth .  Do the right thing because it is the right thing to do , and then all beneficial rewards will come to you also .   The most important texts of the religion are those of the Avesta , which includes the writings of Zoroaster known as the Gathas , enigmatic poems that define the religion 's precepts , and the Yasna , the scripture . The full name by which Zoroaster addressed the deity is : Ahura , The Lord Creator , and Mazda , Supremely Wise . He proclaimed that there is only one God , the singularly creative and sustaining force of the Universe . He also stated that human beings are given a right of choice , and because of cause and effect are also responsible for the consequences of their choices . Zoroaster 's teachings focused on responsibility , and did not introduce a devil per se . The contesting force to Ahura Mazda was called Angra Mainyu , or angry spirit . Post-Zoroastrian scripture introduced the concept of Ahriman , the Devil , which was effectively a personification of Angra Mainyu .