Hajj as a sociocultural phenomenon of Islam

This article discusses the pilgrimage through the experience of Russian Muslims living in Tyumen Region. This study draws on empirical data collected by the author as part of the project “Hajj as a sociocultural phenomenon of Islam.” This topic is particularly relevant in the context of the current Year of Unity of the Peoples of Russia. The article aims to preserve and strengthen traditional Russian spiritual and moral values among Russians of different ethnic and religious backgrounds, including spirituality, strong family ties, mercy, justice, and mutual respect, which are passed from one generation to the next. The article shows that Hajj, like pilgrimage in general, has all the key features of a religious ritual. It includes preparation (learning the rituals, memorizing prayers, and purchasing appropriate clothing); the journey itself; performing rituals at holy sites (the Kaaba, Arafat, Mina, and Muzdalifah); and returning home with a renewed sense of self. During this journey, a person performing Hajj temporarily steps outside their usual social connections, responsibilities, and roles, becoming open to new knowledge, personal transformation, and healing. The most interesting part of the article is the results of the research, which included a questionnaire survey, in-depth interviews, and a media study. Using the pilgrims' narratives as an example, the article describes the environment in which the religiosity of Tyumen Muslims developed and examines how religious foundations and experience may be transmitted to believers (including young generation), who may undertake the pilgrimage to the holy sites of Saudi Arabia (Mecca and Medina), in the future. As one of the Five Pillars of Islam, Hajj plays a crucial role in this process. Participants recalled their childhoods, the spiritual atmosphere in their home, and family traditions. They spoke about their conversion to Islam, their experience of performing the Hajj, the changes they felt afterward, as well as about sociocultural role of the Hajj in the life of the Muslim community, and shared their plans for the future. A media study measuring the frequency of the Hajj in Russian regions revealed that mentions were higher in traditionally Muslim republics than in predominantly non-Muslim areas like the Tyumen Region. However, due to their population size, megacities such as Moscow and St. Petersburg showed the highest absolute mention counts. At the same time, megacities such as Moscow and Saint Petersburg lead in the number of references to Hajj.

1. Decree of the President of the Russian Federation dated November 25, 2025, No. 858 "On the Strategy of the State National Policy of the Russian Federation for the Period up to 2036 " (In Russ.). URL: http://www.kremlin.ru/acts/bank/52615?ysclid=mngfoz1k8r506403444

2. Decree of the President of the Russian Federation of November 9, 2022 No. 809 "On approval of the Foundations of State Policy for the Preservation and Strengthening of Traditional Russian Spiritual and Moral Values". (In Russ.). URL: http://www.kremlin.ru/acts/bank/48502?erid=LjN8K8S

3. Fromm E. Psychoanalysis and religion. Yakovleva V. A., editor. Moscow: Politizdat; 1990. 119 p. (In Russ.).

4. Eliade M. History of Faith and Religious Ideas. In 3 vols. Vol. 1. From the Stone Age to the Eleusinian Mysteries. Moscow: Kriterion; 2002. 464 p. (In Russ.).

5. Belyakov V. V. Pilgrimage to Mecca. The Oriental Archive journal. 2023;2(48):8–10. (In Russ.). http://doi.org/10.31696/2072-5795-2023-2-8-10

6. Ilyina A. Yu. Hajj as a form of pilgrimage in native muslim culture. Society: philosophy, history, culture. 2017;(3):75–77. (In Russ.). http://doi.org/10.24158/fik.2017.3.17

7. Mukhametzyanova-Duggal R. M., Khabibullina Z. R. State regulation of hajj in modern Russia. Proceedings of Higher Educational Institutions. Sociology. Economics. Politics. 2010;(4):65–69.

8. Ibn Hibban. Sahih Ibn Hibban. Vol. 1. Shakir A. M., editor. Egypt: Dar al-Ma'arif; [date unknown]. 317 p.

9. Sibgatullin R. The pursuit of perfection. Kazan: Iman; 2021. 112 р. (In Russ.).

10. Koran. Damask: «Rukabi & Nadar»; 2003. 604 р. (In Russ.).

11. Ilyina A. Yu. Socio-cultural features of muslim pilgrimage. Society: philosophy, history, culture. 2021;5(85):62–67. (In Russ.). http://doi.org/10.24158/fik.2021.5.8

12. Fusu L. I. Pilgrimage as a liminal state. Context and reflection: philosophy of the world and human being. 2017;6(6А):247–254. (In Russ.).

13. Reutov A. A. Pilgrimage in Christianity and Islam: a comparative analysis. Bulletin of the Orenburg Theological Seminary. 2021;1(18):108–127. (In Russ.).

14. Pilgrims Guide. Kazan: DUM RT XadzH; 2022. (In Russ.).

15. Mamytov T. B. The hajj — the pilgrimage. Izvestiya vuzov Kyrgyzstana. 2017;(7): 169–170. (In Russ.).

16. Khairullina N. G., Koishe K. K. The ethnic identification of the tatars of Tyumen oblast: a sociological measurement. Knowledge. Understanding. Skill. 2013;(1):116–120. (In Russ.).

17. Habibullina Z. R. À la question de la place et du rôle du Hajj dans la vie des musulmans modernes du Bachkortostan. In.: Ethnos. Société. Civilisation: II lectures de Kuzeyev: documents de la conférence scientifique et pratique internationale. Ufa: IEI oz RAN; 2009. Pp. 381–384.

18. Khairullina N. G. The right of russian muslims to pilgrimage. Human Progress. 2025;11(8):35. (In Russ.). http://doi.org/10.46320/2073-4506-2025-8a-35 URL: http://progress-human.com/images/2025/Tom11_8/Khairullina.pdf

19. Nurimanov I. A. Pilgrimage of Russian muslims to the sacred sites of Arabia (2014–2018): analysis and development prospects. Asia and Africa today. 2019;(7):59–63. (In Russ.). http://doi.org/10.31857/S032150750005570-9