MIQOT: Jurnal Ilmu-ilmu Keislaman
Vol 50, No 1 (2026)

BEYOND PILGRIMAGE: Exploring the Dynamic Spirituality of the Hajj for Shaping Social Engagement in Rural Indonesia

Soehadha, Moh (Universitas Islam Negeri Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta)
Hamsah, Ustadi (Universitas Islam Negeri Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta)
Zikri, Khairullah (Universitas Islam Negeri Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta)



Article Info

Publish Date
26 Feb 2026

Abstract

This article examines the concept of dynamic spirituality embedded in the hajj by exploring how pilgrimage practices extend beyond individual piety to shape forms of social engagement in rural Muslim communities in Indonesia. Drawing on qualitative fieldwork conducted in Lombok and Madura, this study employs participant observation and in-depth interviews, analyzed through anthropological and phenomenological approaches to the study of religion. The findings demonstrate that the hajj functions not merely as a transcendent act of worship but as a socially embedded ritual that generates communal meanings and relationships. First, the meaning of the hajj shifts from a purely sacred obligation toward a socio-cultural phenomenon that reorganizes social status and moral authority within local communities. Second, the ritual process undergoes festivalization, wherein local cultural expressions reinterpret and publicly celebrate the hajj, reinforcing collective identity. Third, the hajj serves as a form of social adhesive, fostering inter-group solidarity and mediating social relations across kinship, class, and communal boundaries. This study argues that the dynamic spirituality of the hajj reveals its dual role as both a devotional practice and a catalyst for social cohesion, contributing to broader discussions on lived Islam, ritual transformation, and religion’s role in sustaining social integration in contemporary rural societies.

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Journal Info

Abbrev

MIQOT

Publisher

Subject

Religion Arts Humanities

Description

MIQOT: Jurnal Ilmu-Ilmu Keislaman is a peer reviewed academic journal, established in 1976 as part of the State Islamic University of North Sumatra Medan (see: video), dedicated to the publication of scholarly articles in various branches of Islamic Studies, by which exchanges of ideas as research ...