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From Ritual to Meaning: A Review of the Spiritual, Ethical, and Social Aspects of the Arbaeen Pilgrimage and Its Consequences
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Azar Darvishpour   , Fatemeh Mansouri |
| of Nursing,Department of Nursing, Zeyinab (P.B.U.H) School of Nursing and Midwifery, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran & Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Trauma Institute, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran |
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Abstract: (45 Views) |
Background: The Arbaeen pilgrimage, recognized as one of the largest religious gatherings in the world, is not merely a religious ritual but a multidimensional phenomenon encompassing various spiritual, ethical, and social dimensions. Despite the growing body of research on religious mass gatherings, a coherent analysis of the spiritual, ethical, and social aspects of the Arbaeen pilgrimage and its psychosocial consequences remains limited. This study aimed to identify and analyze the dimensions of the Arbaeen pilgrimage and its associated outcomes.
Methods: This study was conducted as a narrative review. Relevant articles were searched in PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Google Scholar, SID, and Magiran databases from January 2010 to October 2025. Inclusion criteria comprised full-text studies published in Persian or English. Data were analyzed using directed qualitative content analysis.
Results: Data analysis led to the emergence of four main categories: (1) the intersection of ritual and meaning in the Arbaeen pilgrimage, (2) self-transcendence and the realization of ethical values within the pilgrimage context, (3) social solidarity and the reconstruction of human relationshipswith others, and (4) spiritual health and the psychosocial outcomes. The findings indicate that these dimensions operate in an interconnected manner, forming a comprehensive spiritual–social experience.
Conclusion: The Arbaeen pilgrimage can be understood as a unique example of the interaction between spirituality, ethics, and social capital, extending beyond a religious ritual to encompass individual and collective health-promoting functions. Understanding the spiritual and social mechanisms underlying this phenomenon may contribute to the development of theoretical frameworks of spiritual health and the design of spirituality-based interventions in religious communities. |
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| Keywords: ArbaeenPilgrimage, ArbaeenWalk, Psychosocial Outcomes, Social Solidarity, Spiritual Health, Spirituality |
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Full-Text [PDF 215 kb]
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Letter: Review Article |
Subject:
Special
Received: 2025/11/25 | Accepted: 2026/03/20 | ePublished ahead of print: 2026/03/18 | Published: 2026/03/18
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