Comprehensive Study Notes on Religious Tourism and Mosque Tourism Processes
Introduction to Mosque Tourism and Places of Worship
Definition of Mosque Tourism (Kessler, 2015):
Defined as a key element of Islamic tourism that enables tourists to have a meaningful experience.
It includes tourists visiting mosques as part of their holidays, regardless of the tourists' specific religions, motivations, or expectations.
Broader Definition of Religious Tourist Attractions (Nolan and Nolan, 1992):
These are defined as structures or sites of religious significance characterized by historic and/or artistic importance.
This classification allows a large category of sites to be included in religious tourism.
Characteristics of Religious Attractions (Shackley, 2001):
They are heterogeneous in nature and usage.
They can be natural or man-made.
They can be single nodal points, part of a significant sacred element, or can even form an entire town.
Concepts and Functions of Religious Tourism and Mosques
Religious Tourism Overview:
A form of tourism offering visits and tours to sites and attractions that incorporate religion, sacredness, or any aspect of spirituality.
The Significance of Mosques:
In Muslim or Arab tourist destinations, mosques are often "must-see" attractions or famous landmarks.
They are heritage sites of great cultural and historical importance (Kessler, 2015).
Purpose and Origin:
The aim of mosque tourism is to respect the Quranic function of the mosque as a house of God.
Original Intent (Prophet Mohammed, peace be upon him): Mosques were not built solely as houses of prayer. They were designed as sustainable buildings meant to serve the community and its residents, including both Muslims and non-Muslims.
The Four Principles of Mosque Tourism
According to Kessler (2015, p. 23), mosques are the focal point of Islamic tourism, serving as the central element on every axis that defines the field:
Economic Axis:
The Muslim market (the Muslim community) is attached to the mosque as a place of worship and the center of the Islamic city.
For the Muslim diaspora in non-Muslim countries, the mosque serves as a central hub for the community.
Geographic Axis:
Mosques are an omnipresent feature of the Arab and Muslim world.
They are found in large numbers across all these geographic destinations.
Religious Axis:
Mosques are a key element in Islam and are crucial to how Muslims practice their faith.
Cultural Axis:
Mosques symbolize Islam and its spread.
They function as important heritage sites with architectural, historical, aesthetic, and artistic value.
Diverse Roles and Processes of the Mosque
Types of Visitors:
Muslims visiting mosques as tourist attractions while traveling.
Muslims attending prayers while traveling.
Non-Muslims visiting as tourists or knowledge seekers.
Representational Value:
Mosques are sacred buildings and are among the most visible representations of Islamic principles and the global spread of Islam (Kessler, 2015; Raj and Kessler, 2018).
Holistic View of the Mosque:
Mosques should be considered as a "whole," encompassing the building itself and its functions under four distinct, complementary processes: tourist, community, religious, and heritage (Kessler & Raj, 2016).
Mosque Tourism Processes (Kessler & Raj, 2019):
Tourist Process:
Purpose: Tourist attraction/landmark.
Aims: Providing an entertaining tourist experience; building local pride; spreading knowledge; generating income for the local community or charities.
Community Process:
Purpose: Community center (Quranic function).
Aims: Enhancing host community well-being; providing services and infrastructure; instigating social responsibility.
Religious Process:
Purpose: Place of worship (house of prayer).
Aims: Facilitating five daily prayers; organizing religious functions; hosting Friday prayers.
Heritage Process:
Purpose: Mediator and intercultural understanding tool.
Aims: Respecting the sociocultural authenticity of the host community; preserving heritage; promoting tolerance; engendering respect between hosts and tourists; spreading knowledge.
Pilgrimage Tourism: The Hajj
Overview and Scale:
The Hajj is currently the most crowded annual gathering in the world.
The number of participants exceeds people per season.
Obligations and Nature:
It is a once-in-a-lifetime obligation for every Muslim who can afford the journey to Makkah.
It has both material and spiritual dimensions.
Spiritual Dimension: Expressed through rites and rituals symbolic of the pilgrim's resolve to subordinate all interests and desires to the will of God.
Specific Requirements and Concepts:
Hajj must be performed at a specific time: between the and days of the month of Dhul Hijjah (the last month of the Islamic calendar).
It falls during the festival of Eid al-Adha, which commemorates Prophet Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son.
Mount Arafat: One of the most important gathering points. Standing in prayer on Mount Arafat specifically on the day of Dhul Hijjah (the day before Eid al-Idha/Day of Sacrifice) is one of the three main requirements of Hajj.
Every Hajj candidate must reach Arafat before sunset to fulfill the requirements of becoming a "Hajji."
Potentials and Benefits of Hajj
Economic Impact:
Pilgrims bring billions of dollars to the Saudi economy.
It is a global industry involving stakeholders worldwide.
Profits can support charitable causes, such as social assistance for emergency situations, natural disasters, and civil conflict victims (asylum seekers).
Cultural and Intellectual Potential:
Hajj serves as a massive annual convention for intellectual, cultural, political, and economic interaction among Muslims from all over the world (including Africa, Asia, North America, and Latin America).
Opportunity for businessmen, academics, and political leaders to exchange ideas and solve common problems.
Potential events: Trade fairs, political summits, and scientific conferences to facilitate dialogue.
Social and Psychological Impact:
Promotes a sense of solidarity with humanity, peace, and love.
Acts as a show of strength and a sign of unity, enhancing the self-esteem of Muslims globally.
Challenges, Management, and Infrastructure in Makkah
Accidents and Disasters:
Issues include congestion and stampedes.
Deadliest Incidents: September 2015 (over deaths) and July 1990 (a tunnel stampede causing deaths).
Prevention requires better crowd management techniques and infrastructure investment.
Municipal Services and Sanitation:
Cleanliness issues (rubbish, plastic bottles, left-over food) create hygienic and visual pollution.
Begging: Beggars near focus points cause health and safety issues and impede pilgrim movement.
Pedestrian Management: Use of dual pathways or roads to separate pilgrims walking in opposite directions to prevent congestion.
Transportation Facilities:
The Haramain High-Speed Railway (HHR): A high-speed rail network connecting Makkah and Madinah via Jeddah. It has significantly improved infrastructure and solved transportation problems, providing comfort and convenience.
Secondary Religious Sites: Tombs, Graves, and Battlefields
Tombs and Graves:
Provide testimony to the authenticity of religious narratives (Christian, Judaic, Islamic, and Mormon).
Some sites have local importance connected to ancient figures or the development of specific sects like Ibadism.
Example: Jannat al-Baqī in Medina, the oldest and first Islamic cemetery, where wives of the Prophet (pbuh) and notable companions are buried.
Battlefield and Heritage Event Sites:
Dark Sites: Historically significant because they are remembered by societies; they play a role in developing social attitudes and values.
Popular Battlefield Sites for Pilgrims:
The battlefield of Badr: Located near the present-day city of Badr, approximately southwest of Madinah.
The battlefield of Uhud: Located near Mount Uhud in the city of Madinah.
The battlefield of Khandaq (Trench): Located north of the current Masjid Nabawi in Madinah.
Sites of Significant Characters:
Attractions capitalize on where famous religious figures lived or died (saints, prophets, martyrs, angels).
Example: Sumhuran in the Dhofar region of Oman. An archaeological site (dated to the century) considered to be the ruins of the Queen of Sheba’s summer palace, linked to Prophet Sulaiman () in Islam or King Solomon in Christianity.