Topic 5 HTT671

1. Mosque Tourism and Places of Worship

  • Definition: Kessler (2015) defines mosque tourism as visiting mosques for meaningful experiences, regardless of the tourist's religion or motivation.

  • Attractions: Religious attractions are structures of historical or artistic significance (Nolan and Nolan, 1992). They range from single sites to entire towns (Shackley, 2001).

2. Characteristics and Principles

  • Concept: Involves tours to sites incorporating sacredness or spirituality.

  • Cultural Landmarks: Mosques function as significant landmarks and sustainable community centers, a role established during the time of Prophet Mohammed (PBUH).

  • Axes of Significance (Kessler, 2015):

    • Economic: Centers of worship for the Muslim market.

    • Geographic: Prevalent across the Arab and Muslim world.

    • Religious: Essential for Islamic faith practice.

    • Cultural: Heritage sites with aesthetic and historical value.

3. Diverse Roles and Processes

  • Engagement: Serves both as prayer spaces for Muslims and educational/cultural sites for non-Muslims.

  • Functional Processes (Kessler & Raj, 2016):

    • Tourist: Landmark providing entertainment and income.

    • Community: Quranic function enhancing local well-being.

    • Religious: Facilitating prayer and intercultural understanding.

    • Heritage: Promoting tolerance and preserving sociocultural authenticity.

4. Pilgrimage Tourism: Hajj and Umrah

  • Scale: Hajj is the world's largest gathering, with over 4,000,000 annual pilgrims.

  • Significance: A once-in-a-lifetime obligation and a major convention for global Muslim interaction.

  • Timing: Occurs between the 8^{th} and 12^{th} of Dhul Hijjah. A key requirement is standing at Arafat on the 9^{th} day.

5. Challenges in Hajj Management

  • Safety: Major incidents include the 2015 stampede (>2400 deaths) and the 1990 tunnel disaster (1426 deaths).

  • Services: Issues include litter, hygiene standards, and beggars obstructing movement.

  • Transport: Improvements include the Haramain High-Speed Railway (HHR) connecting Makkah, Madinah, and Jeddah.

6. Historical and Cultural Sites

  • Cemeteries: Jannat al-Baqi in Medina is the oldest Islamic cemetery.

  • Dark Sites (Battlefield Tourism): Includes sites of historical value such as Badr (150 km from Medina), Uhud, and Khandaq.

  • Prophetic Sites: Locations like Sumhuran in Oman are linked to prophets such as Sulaiman (AS).