Scientific Journal Science and Civilization in Islam

Scientific Journal Science and Civilization in Islam

The Holy Shrines as Memory Spaces: Cultural-Civilizational Roles in Preserving and Reproducing Shi‘i Identity

Document Type : Original Article

Author
zahra rooholahi amiri
Associate Professor, Department of History, Faculty of Political Studies and History, baqir- al- olum University, Qom, Iran
10.22034/icrs.2025.549671.1393
Abstract
Amid intensifying pressures of globalization, the secularization of ritual, and a broader crisis of meaning, revisiting the role of memory-sites such as the Shi‘i holy shrines (al-ʿAtabāt al-ʿĀliyya) has become a theoretical and civilizational necessity. This study examines how these shrines can counter the erosion of meaning and identity fragmentation by contributing to the reproduction of Shi‘i collective identity. The guiding research question asks by what mechanisms and to what extent ritual practices and pilgrimage in Karbala and Najaf activate cultural memory to reinforce psychological cohesion, historical continuity, and the rearticulation of identity narratives. Methodologically, the article adopts a qualitative, analytical design with a descriptive–conceptual approach, drawing on Jan Assmann’s theory of cultural memory, Pierre Nora’s notion of lieux de mémoire, and Paul Ricoeur’s account of narrative identity. Historical documents, theoretical texts, and ritual evidence—centering on a case study of the Arbaeen pilgrimage—are analysed. The findings indicate that the shrines, as memory-centred loci, not only sustain Shi‘i historical remembrance but, through the re-enactment of rituals, the cultivation of belonging, and the formation of transnational networks of solidarity, function as key identity-generative resources within Islamic civilization. At the same time, trends toward secularization, mediatization, and the commodification of ritual can undermine these memory functions. The study concludes that harnessing the mnemonic and civilizational capacities of the shrines offers a viable strategy for sustaining Shi‘i identity in the face of such challenges.
Keywords
Atabat Aliyat, Cultural Memory, Lieux de Memoire, Shiite Identity, Arbaeen Pilgrimage
Subjects
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Scientific Journal Science and Civilization in Islam
Volume 7, Issue 25
Autumn 2025
Pages 48-70

  • Receive Date 01 August 2025
  • Accept Date 11 October 2025