Muslim Pilgrimage Research Articles

:Shopping with Allah: Muslim Pilgrimage, Gender and Consumption in a Globalised World

:<i>Shopping with Allah: Muslim Pilgrimage, Gender and Consumption in a Globalised World</i>

Sacred journeys and pilgrimages: health risks associated with travels for religious purposes.

Pilgrimages and travel to religious Mass Gatherings (MGs) are part of all major religions. This narrative review aims to describe some characteristics, including health risks, of the more well known and frequently undertaken ones. A literature search was conducted using keywords related to the characteristics (frequency of occurrence, duration, calendar period, reasons behind their undertaking and the common health risks) of Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist and Jewish religious MGs. About 600 million trips are undertaken to religious sites annually. The characteristics varies between religions and between pilgrimages. However, religious MGs share common health risks, but these are reported in a heterogenous manner. European Christian pilgrimages reported both communicable diseases, such as norovirus outbreaks linked to the Marian Shrine of Lourdes in France, and noncommunicable diseases (NCD). NCD predominated at the Catholic pilgrimage to the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico, which documented 11 million attendees in one week. The Zion Christian Church Easter gathering in South Africa, attended by about 10 million pilgrims, reported mostly motor vehicles accidents. Muslim pilgrimages, such as the Arbaeen (20 million pilgrims) and Hajj documented a high incidence of respiratory tract infections, up to 80% during Hajj. Heat injuries and stampedes have been associated with Hajj. The Hindu Kumbh Mela pilgrimage, which attracted 100 million pilgrims in 2013, documented respiratory conditions in 70% of consultations. A deadly stampede occurred at the 2021 Jewish Lag BaOmer MG. Communicable and NCD differ among the different religious MGs. Gaps exists in the surveillance, reporting, and data accessibility of health risks associated with religious MGs. A need exists for the uniform implementation of a system of real-time monitoring of diseases and morbidity patterns, utilising standardised modern information-sharing platforms. The health needs of pilgrims can then be prioritised by developing specific and appropriate guidelines.

Venous thromboembolism during three muslim pilgrimage seasons

Background Acute pulmonary embolism (PE) is a potentially fatal condition for which prompt recognition, risk assessment and appropriate treatment must be implemented to reduce mortality and morbidity. This study was planned to analyze all cases of venous thromboembolism (VTE) admitted to the tertiary care hospital during three successive Muslim hajj seasons. Methods A prospective observational study that included 135 patients of which 65 patients were with deep vein thrombosis (DVT group), 50 patients were with pulmonary embolism (PE group) and 20 patients were with concomitant DVT and PE (DVT/PE group). All patients were subjected to full history taking, clinical examination, laboratory, and radiological studies. Results The presentation with hemodynamic compromise and the percentage of mortality were more in patients with DVT/ PE compared to patients with PE alone. The patients in the DVT group had the highest D-dimer and triglyceride levels. The patients in the PE group had the most severe tachypnea and the highest values of cardiac biomarkers and aminotransferases. The patients in the DVT/PE group had the most rapid average pulse, the lowest average blood pressure, and the lowest oxygen saturation. Conclusions The presentations with DVT or DVT/PE were more in females and presentation with PE without DVT was more in males. Hajjis with VTE presented with less frequent symptoms, more overt clinical signs, more hemodynamic compromise and overall mortality compared to other studies. The study information may encourage the designated health authorities to raise awareness and implement VTE preventive measures during pilgrimage season.

Enhancing Hajj Pilgrim Satisfaction: A Strategic Analysis of Service Quality Dimensions using the Analytic Hierarchy Process in Alignment with Saudi Vision 2030

Saudi Arabia every year receives more than two million Muslims from all over the world to perform the Hajj (the Muslim pilgrimage to Makkah). "It must take place during a specific period of the year in a specific and limited space." (“Asma BAHURMOZ | Faculty Member | Prof of Operations Research | King ...”) To manage and satisfy such crowd, Considering the variety of cultures, languages, and different levels of socio-economic background, is next to impossible. Saudi vision 2030 has taken it as its duty to ensure that pilgrimages will have joyful experience and good memories to take back home. Authorities develop four categories of packages based on quality dimensions to meet different budgets. To manage and provide quality service for the pilgrimagesis incredibly challenging task. In an effort from the authors to dir ect their research towards this goal. A multi criteria decision model MCDM is developed to evaluate the service quality dimensions (SQD) and identify essential criteria that achieve pilgrim’s satisfaction and keep up with hajj vision 2030, The aim is to provide an easy tool though a scientific one for companies providing these packages to adjust their services to match pilgrims ' expectations.

Wali Pitu and Muslim Pilgrimage in Bali, Indonesia: Inventing a Sacred Tradition, by Syaifudin Zuhri

Wali Pitu and Muslim Pilgrimage in Bali, Indonesia: Inventing a Sacred Tradition, by Syaifudin Zuhri

Muslim pilgrims’ knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding complementary and alternative medicine (CAM); a study conducted during Hajj season

Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) has attracted much interest, and its prevalence in both developed and developing countries has increased. During the Hajj season, millions of Muslims from many different countries travel to Makkah for the pilgrimage. In dealing with health issues during the holy season, many pilgrims prefer to self-medicate with traditional remedies instead of visiting medical practitioners, which could affect the efforts of state healthcare organizations to maintain overall public health during this mass gathering. This study aims to gauge the prevalence of CAM use during Hajj, and to assess pilgrims’ beliefs and knowledge of CAM therapies, with particular reference to products available in Makkah. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in several camps and hotels occupied by Hajj pilgrims in Makkah, during Hajj 2023. CAM modalities were used by 68.8 % of the study participants during the Hajj season. There were almost equal numbers of men (53.7 %) and women (46.3 %) participants, with 88 % of the CAM users being non-Saudi and only 12 % Saudi. The majority of the CAM users belonged to two age groups, the 31–40 year group (29.9 %) and the 41–50 year group (34.5 %). The most frequent self-practice therapies were religious prayer/rituals (30.2 %), and the most popular practitioner therapies was herbal treatments (12.3 %). The most common source of CAM-related information was family/friends (29.2 %), for improving well-being reason (25.8 %). More than half of the participants (56.8 %) strongly believed that CAM therapies have the potential to cure disease, although they were unaware of possible interactions between CAM and conventional drugs (76.7 %). More than half of the participants (57.8 %) did not disclose their CAM usage to healthcare practitioners. Half of the sample said they used CAMs during Hajj because of the common belief that therapeutic products from the holy city of Makkah, such as Zamzam water, are more effective. In conclusion, CAM therapies are commonly used by Hajj pilgrims as they are presumed to be natural and therefore safe, raising concerns about the potential risks of relying on CAM without adequate consultation with healthcare providers or awareness of potential interactions between prescription drugs and CAM treatments.

ОСМАН ИМПЕРИЯСЫ МЕН ОРТА АЗИЯ ХАЛЫҚТАРЫ АРАСЫНДА МӘДЕНИ ЖӘНЕ РУХАНИ БАЙЛАНЫСТАРДАҒЫ ҚАЖЫЛЫҚТЫҢ РӨЛІ (ХІХ-ХХ ғғ.)

At the turn of the 19th-20th centuries, a new stage of political, social and cultural relations began between the Ottoman Empire and the peoples of Central Asia. The Ottoman Sultan, as the caliph of the Islamic world and a supporter of Islam, always supported the Turkic-Muslim peoples of Central Asia. One of the closest ties between peoples was cultural and spiritual relations, and an important role in this area was played by the Muslim pilgrimage - the Hajj. The Central Asian Muslims who made the pilgrimage stayed in the territories of the Ottoman Empire for a long time in order to deeply study the Muslim culture and Islamic teachings. Back in the country, they used their materials to develop Muslim culture and spiritual knowledge and provide religious education. The article discusses the role of the Muslim pilgrimage in the development of cultural and spiritual ties between the Ottoman Empire and the Turkic-Muslim peoples of Central Asia. The topic of the scientific article reflects a certain aspect of the problem - this means the role and contribution of the Muslim pilgrimage in cultural and spiritual ties among Muslim peoples. The purpose of the research work is to study the activities of pilgrims in the development of cultural and spiritual ties between the Ottoman Empire and Central Asia. It also studies the place and contribution of pilgrimage in the development of the idea of pan-Turkism and pan-Islamic ideology among the Turkic peoples of the Ottoman Empires and Turkestan. A new scientific analysis is being carried out on the history of cultural and humanitarian relations between the Ottoman Empire and the Turkic-Muslim peoples of Central Asia.

Health Issues of Nigerian Muslim Pilgrims in The Immediate Post Covid-19 Era Hajj Year 2022 in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Health Issues of Nigerian Muslim Pilgrims in The Immediate Post Covid-19 Era Hajj Year 2022 in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Health Issues of Nigerian Muslim Pilgrims in The Immediate Post-Covid-19 Era Hajj Year 2022– Part II (Non-Communicable Diseases)

Background: Hajj is an important rite in the life of devout Muslims, requiring the devolvement of physical and material resources in its execution. Limitations posed by COVID-19 on the performance of Hajj make the year 2022 hajj to be an atypical one compared to other years' international hajj. Nigerian pilgrims are peculiar as a low-and middle-income country (LAMIC) with the highest number of Muslim pilgrims from Africa. The objective of this article is to review the health implications of Hajj and peculiarities of the post- COVID 19 era, regarding non-communicable diseases in Nigerian pilgrims based on literature, the interaction of authors with pilgrims, and the experiences of an author as a pilgrim. Results: Commonly encountered non-communicable respiratory, cardiovascular, nutritional, gastrointestinal, endocrine, reproductive, neurological, and musculoskeletal health issues in Nigerian pilgrims were explored. Preventive health strategies by individual pilgrims, the national medical team of National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), the Ministry of Health (MOH) of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) and other stakeholders involved directly or indirectly in conducting Hajj rites were appraised. This includes but not limited to illness screening, chronic illness management, life style modification, medication adherence, and accident prevention. Conclusions: It was concluded that the efforts of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, as well as Nigeria authorities on Hajj health services, are commendable, though there are still a lot of areas that need to be improved upon. Significant importance should be given to pre-hajj and post-hajj screening of pilgrims for communicable health issues in pilgrims to enable optimal execution of hajj task and maintenance of pilgrims’ health beyond hajj period.

Genetic diversity and molecular analysis of human influenza virus among pilgrims during Hajj

The risk of transmission of respiratory tract infections is considerably enhanced at mass gathering (MG) religious events. Hajj is an annual Islamic MG event with approximately 3 million Muslim pilgrims from over 180 countries concentrated in Makkah, Saudi Arabia. This study aimed to investigate the genetic diversity of influenza viruses circulating among pilgrims during the Hajj pilgrimage. We performed a cross-sectional analytical study where nasopharyngeal swabs (NPs) from pilgrims with respiratory tract illnesses presenting to healthcare facilities during the 2019 Hajj were screened for influenza viruses. Influenza A subtypes and influenza B lineages were determined by multiplex RT–PCR for positive influenza samples. The phylogenetic analysis was carried out for the hemagglutination (HA) gene. Out of 185 nasopharyngeal samples, 54 were positive for the human influenza virus. Of these, 27 were influenza A H1N1 and 19 H3N2, 4 were untypable influenza A, and 4 were influenza B. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the H1N1 and H3N2 strains differentiated into different and independent genetic groups and formed close clusters with selected strains of influenza viruses from various locations. To conclude, this study demonstrates a high genetic diversity of circulating influenza A subtypes among pilgrims during the Hajj Season. There is a need for further larger studies to investigate in-depth the genetic characteristics of influenza viruses and other respiratory viruses during Hajj seasons.

Differential games for crowd dynamics and applications

We study crowd dynamics by means of both non-atomic and atomic differential games, which are also known as macroscopic and microscopic models, respectively; and we consider few crowd-related applications and experiments. Mainly, we study the modeling for Hajj motion (Tawaf), the most important event for Muslim pilgrims taking place in Mecca. We formally show that the proposed game-theoretical model is a potential-cost-dependent version of the well-known Hughes model, and the existing connection with the Lighthill–Whitham–Richards traffic model. We show that for a particular value in the potential cost, one obtains the same Hughes crowd model. Hence, we introduce a mild approximation that allows the computation of semi-explicit/explicit solutions for the proposed game problems. We study four main components that may be used by a central planner: (i) the effect of the clusters (delegations) over the motion, (ii) the inflow control to optimize the flux, (iii) how organized crowds evolve in comparison to disorganized ones, and (iv) how the creation of corrals with time-delays over their motion can be beneficial for the crowd evolution efficiency. We show that a faster performance is exhibited when pilgrims do Tawaf individually than when clustered groups are made, suggesting a possible direction for the policies design. Hence, we also present a simple ON/OFF control over the inflow that can be implemented by a central planner such that the flux is maximized. Related to this last mentioned policy, we have shown that delaying a group to integrate into the crowd can be beneficial for their efficient and faster motion. Also, we show that organized crowds evolve faster than disorganized ones, suggesting that education programs to perform Tawaf may potentially improve the flow. Finally, we show that other type of behaviors could be captured by means of the appropriate design of the cost functional. For example, the consideration of stress during an evacuation can be captured by means of the suitable modification of the cost functional, and as another example, we model the drafting tactics in bicycling where small densities can be beneficial for the performance. We present numerical and simulation results for all the applications using both the macroscopic and microscopic models, which certify the suitability of these models to capture the main features of the real behavior.

Wali Pitu and Muslim Pilgrimage in Bali, Indonesia (Inventing a Sacred Tradition) Syaifudin Zuhri

Buku ini merupakan kajian komprehensip tentang bagaimana tradisi kewalian diciptakan, dimulai dengan pertanyaan tentang pemujaan wali Muslim: bagaimana para wali ini ditemukan, dipasarkan, dialami dan pada saat yang sama ditentang. kultus Wali Pitu memperjelas bagaimana tradisi kewalian disesuaikan untuk memenuhi gaya hidup modern dan permintaan pasar dan bagaimana tradisi yang diciptakan ini dikaitkan dengan formasi sosio politik dan konteks sosiokultural. Secara lebih luas, buku ini mencontohkan tradisi pemujaan wali keliling dalam setting translokal dan dinamika situs ziarah yang dilihat dari perspektif multifaset geografi budaya, batas, dan pertemuan antara Islam Jawa dan Hindu Bali.

Transformations in Islamic Pilgrimage Patterns and Meanings: Piety, Politics, Resistance, and Places of Memory in Islamic Pilgrimage Sites in Israel/Palestine

This paper explores recent transformations in Islamic pilgrimage patterns in Israel/Palestine. The meanings assigned to traditional Muslim sites, and the conduct and practices of the dwindling number of pilgrims who visit them, are the struggling victims of strategic socio-political erasures caused by dramatic geo-political changes. Since 1948, the hegemony of the State of Israel has perversely politicized sacred Islamic sites beyond their traditional religious functions. Muslim pilgrims, for their part, engage in rituals that have become a counterweight to Israeli ethnocratic imperatives. The reconstruction of an Islamic pilgrimage map presents a shared imaginative landscape as lieux de mémoire that undergird political and social resistance. The dogged survival of Islamic pilgrimage comprises a counterweight to state power. Muslims fight to affirm Palestinian identity, reclaim heritage spaces as anchors for identity, and actively engage with land claiming.

The Gate of Mercy as a Contested Monument: Jerusalem’s Sealed Gate as a Muslim Site of Memory

Abstract English-language guides to the city of Jerusalem often describe the Golden Gate or Gate of Mercy (Bāb al-Raḥma) as sealed by the Muslims to prevent the return of the Messiah. This narrative, inherited from British colonial-era sources, has no basis in Islamic history or theology. A review of Umayyad, ʿAbbasid, and Fāṭimid-era traditions instead reveals that the Gate of Mercy was a site where Muslims prayed for repentance, envisioned the gardens of paradise, and imagined a Day of Judgment when the Prophets Muḥammad, Moses, and Jesus would stand side-by-side at the throne of God. These descriptions of the gate shifted during the Crusades: encountering a blocked passage, pilgrims attempted to explain the gate’s closure. However, rather than blame any particular religious community for the closure, medieval Muslim, Jewish, and Christian pilgrims described the gate as sealed by heaven on account of its great sanctity. These remained the predominant narratives about the monument until the Ottoman and British empires renewed the Gate of Mercy (and other sites in the Noble Sanctuary/Temple Mount complex) as a battleground for imperial claims-making. In the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, British travellers wove tales about how Muslims in their ‘childishness’ had sealed the gate to thwart the Messiah, and predicted a Christian conqueror would soon ‘wrest the Holy City from the Moslems’. These Orientalist narratives constructed Jerusalem’s Palestinian community as an impediment to be cleared aside, and silenced shared traditions about the gate. The gate’s history thus reflects how pilgrims, politicians, and other ‘memory activists’ use monuments to manifest preferred pasts and favoured futures. Gates emerge as particularly potent sites where visitors act out personal and political transformations.

The influence of Umrah service operation on customer value, trust, and commitment

Umrah is one of the Muslim pilgrimage journeys to the holy city of Makkah. Many Umrah agents provide good services to attract customers. One of the crucial aspects for Umrah agents is service operation quality. The study aims to investigate the influence of service operations on the value, trust, and commitment of Umrah pilgrims in Jakarta, Indonesia. This paper uses a quantitative approach and employs SEM-PLS to analyze the data. Data were collected through an online questionnaire from 425 respondents. The respondents are Umrah pilgrims who performed their pilgrimage before 2019 through agents registered in Jakarta. However, only 370 responses qualified. The results show a strong relationship between service operations and customer value, trust, and commitment. There is also a relationship between customer value and customer commitment and between customer trust and customer commitment. Service operations also have an influence on commitment with trust as a mediator. However, service operations do not influence commitment when mediated by customer value. The practical implication of this study is that Umrah agents should increase their service operation, particularly information technology-based services, add Islamic and social values, and increase the cognitive commitment among customers.

Diagnosing and managing heat exhaustion: insights from a systematic review of cases in the desert climate of Mecca.

Heat exhaustion (HE) is a common, yet obscure, heat-related illness that affects millions of people yearly and its burden is projected to rise due to climate change. A comprehensive literature synthesis is lacking despite previous studies on various HE aspects. This systematic review aims to fill this gap by identifying and synthesizing available evidence on the risk factors, symptoms, biomarkers, treatment options, and outcomes for HE. The review focused on HE during the Muslim (Hajj) pilgrimage where the condition is endemic. We conducted a structured search of MEDLINE/PubMed, Embase, Web of Science Core Collection, SCOPUS, and CINAHL databases. We summarized the data from eligible studies and synthesized them in narrative form using pooled descriptive statistics. Ten studies were included between 1980 and 2019, reporting over 1,194 HE cases. HE cases presented with elevated core temperature (up to 40°C) and mainly affected older males from the Middle East and North Africa region, with overweight individuals at a higher risk. Clinical symptoms included hyperventilation, fatigue, dizziness, headaches, nausea, and vomiting, but not central nervous system disturbances. HE was associated with cardiac stress, and with water, electrolyte, and acid-base alterations. Cooling and hydration therapy were the primary management strategies, leading to a low mortality rate (pooled case fatality rate=0.11 % [95 % CI: 0.01, 0.3]). Most cases recovered within a few hours without complications. HE is associated with cardiac stress and changes in homeostasis, leading to distinct clinical symptoms. Early diagnosis and treatment of HE are crucial in reducing the risk of complications and mortality. The review provides insights into the pathophysiology and outcomes of HE, adding to the scarce literature on the subject. Prospero registration number: CRD42022325759.

A Unique Assemblage of Late Islamic Magical Artifacts from Netafim 2: A Campsite on the Darb al-Hajj, Southern Israel

Abstract Many remains of the Muslim pilgrimage road from Cairo to Mecca, the Darb al-Hajj al-Maṣri are preserved in the Eilat region of southern Israel. These include sections of the road, camps, and other associated structures. Most of these remains date to the Mamluk and Ottoman periods. In one camp (Netafim 2), an assemblage of unusual objects was found, including fragmentary clay rattles, votive clay incense burners, anthropomorphic and perhaps zoomorphic clay figurines, a cluster of colored quartz pebbles, and some seashells. The fabric of the clay objects indicates that they originated in Egypt. Based on the nature of the assemblage and a literary survey, this study suggests that the discussed artifacts were related to popular magic. The magical rituals, whose nature is yet unclear, were likely carried out at the site by professional sorcerers, who offered their services to pilgrims making the hajj.

A Colonial Gaze on Mecca: Networks Surrounding the First Documentary about the Hajj

Abstract The first fully-fledged documentary about the annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca was produced in 1928 when the Dutch filmmaker George Krugers (1890–1964) accompanied Muslim pilgrims from the Netherlands East Indies to the Arabian Peninsula. In the late 1920s, when the film project was carried out, an increasing number of Muslims from the archipelago embarked on the hajj journey, which was closely supervised and administered by Dutch colonial institutions. To uncover the “colonial gaze” engrained in the film, this article addresses the filming circumstances, the documentary’s visual content, its intended audiences, and the reception of the moving images in the Netherlands. It draws on Bruno Latour’s actor-network theory, foregrounding the social, political, and technological agents and networks that undergird Krugers’ pioneering film project about the hajj.

Knowledge, Attitude, and Self-reported Practices on Prevention of Respiratory Infections among Two Groups of Islamic Pilgrims, Thailand, 2021

Religious mass gatherings can foster contagious disease transmission in the home countries of pilgrims. Thailand has two major Muslim pilgrims: the Hajj and the Dawah. This study aimed to compare their knowledge (K), attitude (A), and self-reported practice (P), and qualitatively evaluate their perceptions regarding the prevention of respiratory infections. A cross-sectional mixed methods study was conducted. Multistage sampling was conducted in Hajj participants, while convenience sampling was used with the Dawah participants at two gathering places. Pearson’s chi-square test was used to compare KAP scores between the two groups. We conducted qualitative interviews with 13 purposively chosen participants. There were 111 Hajj and 228 Dawah participants. Most Hajj respondents were in the age group of ≥50 years, while most Dawah respondents were between 30–49 years. Overall, the Hajj group had a significantly higher proportion of good knowledge scores than the Dawah group, with 76.6 and 56.1, as well as the positive attitude score of 97.3 and 87.7. The Hajj group was more receptive to receive health education about respiratory infections before their pilgrimage. Preparatory education classes should be initiated for Dawah Muslims before they attend a foreign gathering event.

Transport of pilgrims during Hajj: Evidence from a discrete event simulation study.

Hajj, the Muslim pilgrimage, is a large mass gathering event that involves performing rituals at several sites on specific days and times in a fixed order, thereby requiring transport of pilgrims between sites. For the past two decades, Hajj transport has relied on conventional and shuttle buses, train services, and pilgrims walking along pedestrian routes that link these sites. To ensure smooth and efficient transport during Hajj, specific groups of pilgrims are allocated with the cooperation of Hajj authorities to specific time windows, modes, and routes. However, the large number of pilgrims, delays and changes in bus schedules/timetables, and occasional lack of coordination between transport modes have often caused congestion or delays in pilgrim transfer between sites, with a cascading effect on transport management. This study focuses on modelling and simulating the transport of pilgrims between the sites using a discrete event simulation tool called "ExtendSim". Three transport modules were validated, and different scenarios were developed. These scenarios consider changes in the percentages of pilgrims allocated to each transport mode and the scheduling of various modes. The results can aid authorities to make informed decisions regarding transport strategies for managing the transport infrastructure and fleets. The proposed solutions could be implemented with judicious allocation of resources, through pre-event planning and real-time monitoring during the event.