Persecution of Zoroastrians refers to the religious persecution inflicted upon Zoroastrians. The persecution of Zoroastrians occurred after the Muslim conquest of Persia and the shift in the state religion, from Zoroastrianism to Islam. The persecution began when Zoroastrians were given the dhimmi status, and considered kafirs. The discrimination and harassment began in the form of sparse violence and forced conversions. Zoroastrians were made to pay an extra tax called Jizya, failing which they were either killed, enslaved or imprisoned. Those paying jizya were subjected to insults and humiliation by the tax collectors. Zoroastrian places of worship were desecrated, fire temples were destroyed and mosques built in their place. Many libraries were burnt and much cultural heritage was lost.