Pilgrimage in Islam: Traditional and Modern Practices

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. All of these places are located within an Islamic universe that is present with the spirit of Allah and holds the promise of barakat – the blessings that pilgrims often seek.

Challenging the simplistic presentations of Islamic pilgrimage existent in much of the scholarship, Dr. Sophia Rose Arjana explores the diverse traditions practiced by the 1.7 billion 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. Lucidly written, informative and accessible, Islamic Pilgrimages is perfectly suited to students, scholars and the general reader seeking a comprehensive survey of this critical element of Islam.