Document Type : Research Paper
Authors
1
Faculty Member, Department of Social Sciences, Amin University of Law Enforcement Sciences
2
Assistant Professor of Jurisprudence and Fundamentals of Law and Imam Khomeini Thought, Imam Khomeini (RA) and Islamic Revolution Research Institute, Tehran, Iran
10.22059/ijsp.2026.407681.671363
Abstract
Over the past two decades, the Arbaeen pilgrimage has evolved from a traditional Shi‘i devotional practice into the largest annual religious gathering worldwide, constituting a vast arena of religious–social action. Central to this ritual is the expansive and voluntary network of *religious charity* (*khayr-e dini*), which provides food, accommodation, healthcare, and cultural services without expectation of return. Within this context, the participation of Iranian and Iraqi women, both as pilgrims and service providers, has gained prominence and highlights the need for comparative sociological analysis.
This study, using qualitative and ethnographic methods, gathered data through semi-structured interviews with *mawkib* organizers and participant observation. Findings show that in the Iranian sphere, mawkibs combine personal ties with organizational networks, enabling women to move beyond traditional roles. They engage in cultural management, coordinate women’s units, and sometimes assume full administrative responsibility. Their motivations derive from religious belief, vows (*nazr*), and local social capital, situating their participation as both reproduction of social capital and entry into the religious public sphere.
In Iraq, mawkibs are largely familial and tribal, with women primarily engaged in conventional tasks such as food preparation and childcare. Iranian women have partially redefined gendered divisions of labor, whereas Iraqi women remain within traditional frameworks. Despite differences, both groups interpret their involvement as religious charity reinforcing cohesion and identity. Yet Iranian women face constraints—financial dependency, male-dominated structures, and negative attitudes toward managerial roles—making their participation devotional and a site of claim-making and reconfiguration of women’s roles in the religious public sphere.
Keywords
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