Article: A Phenomenological Study of Arbaeen Foot Pilgrimage in Iraq+PDF

This paper analyzes motivations and experiences of foot-pilgrims in their journey to Karbala(Iraq) during the Arbaeen pilgrimage. The study deploys an interpretivist paradigm consisting of a phenomenological approach and incorporates the Shia Islamic worldview to synthesize the findings.

This paper analyzes motivations and experiences of foot-pilgrims in their journey to Karbala(Iraq) during the¹Arbaeen pilgrimage. The study deploys an interpretivist paradigm consisting of a phenomenological approach and incorporates the Shia Islamic worldview to synthesize the findings. Findings reveal that Arbaeen foot-pilgrim’s motives are driven by perpetual rituals practiced by the Shia community, and concern for society (umma). The ‘umma’ element recurred as a key motive for those who repeated the Arbaeen foot-pilgrimage. The experiential component emerging of the results indicate: religious; bodily; and hospitality/humanitarian aspects to be the significant elements of experiences. Managerial implications including future planning and policy are deliberated.

About the Author

Dr. UmmeSalma Mujtaba is currently employed with Heriot Watt University where she is actively involved in both teaching and research. She is a fellow of Higher Education Academy–UK. Her core research areas are Islamic Tourism, Strategy, Islamic Management (both core and extended concepts), Comparative Management, and various facets of Sustainability.

Bibliographic Information

Title: A Phenomenological Study of Arbaeen Foot Pilgrimage in Iraq

Author: Umme Salma Mujtaba

Published in: Tourism Management Perspectives 26 (2018) 9–19

 Language: English

Length: 10 pages

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