Pilgrimage in Islam: Traditional and Modern Practices

Sophia Rose Arjana

Paperback

9781786071163

Muslim pilgrims travel to a wide variety of places, not only the holy cities of Mecca and Karbala. Around the world there are countless sacred sites, including the graves of important historical and religious individuals, the tombs of saints, and natural sites such as mountaintops and springs.

Challenging the simplistic presentations of Islamic pilgrimage existent in much of the scholarship, Dr. Sophia Rose Arjana explores the diverse traditions practiced by Muslims across the world. Issues such as time, space, tourism, virtual pilgrimages, and the use of computers and smartphone apps all come under consideration in this wide-ranging study. 

Contents

Introduction: Beyond Hajj

1. Reconsidering Islamic Pilgrimage: Theoretical and Sectarian Debates

2. Nascent Pilgrimage Centers: Jerusalem, Mecca, and Medina

3. Shi’i Pilgrimage: The Prophet’s Household

4. Sufi and Shared Pilgrimages: Contestations of Identity

5. Modern Muslim Pilgrims: Tourism, Space, and Technology

Afterword: Presuppositions and Possibilities in the Study of Islamic Pilgrimage