نوع مقاله : مقاله پژوهشی
نویسندگان
1 دانشیار جامعه‌شناسی دانشگاه علامه طباطبائی، تهران، ایران
2 کارشناسی ارشد مطالعات فرهنگی، دانشگاه علامه طباطبائی، تهران، ایران
چکیده
هدف این مقاله فهم نسبت فضای قدسی و چگونگی تجربه دینی و همچنین بررسی ارتباط برساختی این دو از خلل نحوه شکل‌گیری تجربه دینی در چهار میدان مذهبی مهم شهر قم (حرم حضرت معصومه، مسجد جمکران، کوه خضر و گلزار شهدا) است. پرسش پژوهش این است که چه تفاوت‌هایی در الگوهای تجربه دینی کنشگران حاضر در فضاهای قدسی شهر قم وجود دارد؟ تجربه دینی افراد در هر یک از این میدان‌ها چه تفاوت‌هایی دارد؟ همچنین در این مقاله سازوکارهای تولید تجربیات خاص دینی در این میدان‌ها بررسی شد و فهمی زمینه‌مند از این مسئله ارائه گردید. در این پژوهش کیفی داده‌ها از طریق 20 مصاحبه نیمه‌ساختاریافته و مشاهده گردآوری و با تکنیک تحلیل مضمون تحلیل و گزارش شده‌اند. نتایج نشان می‌دهد که تجربه دینیکنشگران متأثر از یگانگی ساختارها و فضاهای قدسی به‌مثابه فضای دینی یکسان نیست و همچنین صرفاً از سنت‌ها و آموزه‌های دینی برگرفته نشده‌اند؛ بلکه افراد بخش مهمی از درک و فهم قدسی خود را در فضاهای قدسی که بخشی از بافت‌های اجتماعی و زندگی روزمره‌شان است، به‌صورت بین‌الاذهانی به‌صورت متفاوت شکل می‌دهند؛ لذا یک‌شکل و یک قالب تجربه دینی در تمام فضاهای قدسی وجود ندارد. در هر فضای قدسی تعاملاتی رخ می‌دهد که به اشکال مختلف و خاص تجربه دینی منتهی می‌شود.
کلیدواژه‌ها
موضوعات
عنوان مقاله [English]
Religious Experience and Sacred Space (Examining the Relationship between Religious Experience and Sacred Spaces in the City of Qom)
نویسندگان [English]
- Aboutorab Talebi 1
- Amirhasan Rezagholigol 2
1 Associate Professor of Sociology, Allameh Tabataba’i University, Tehran, Iran.
2 M.A in cultural studies, Allameh Tabataba’i University, Tehran, Iran
چکیده [English]
The aim of this article is to understand the relationship between sacred space and religious experience, and to explore the constructive connection between the two by examining how religious experiences are shaped in four key religious fields in the city of Qom. The research question asks: What differences exist in the patterns of religious experience among participants in Qom's sacred spaces? How do individuals’ religious experiences differ in each of these fields? This article also investigates the mechanisms that generate specific religious experiences in these spaces, providing a contextual understanding of the issue. In this qualitative study, data were collected through 20semi-structured interviews and observations, and were analyzed and reported using thematic analysis. The results show that the religious experiences of participants are influenced by the uniqueness of sacred structures and spaces and are not uniformly shaped by religious space as a single religious environment. Moreover, these experiences are not solely derived from religious traditions and teachings. Instead, individuals form a significant part of their sacred understanding intersubjectively, shaped differently within sacred spaces that are part of the social fabric and everyday life. Therefore, there is no single, uniform template for religious experience across all sacred spaces. In each sacred space, unique interactions occur, leading to diverse and specific forms of religious experience
Keywords: Religious Experience, Sacred Space, Sacred Order, Social Structure of Religion, Sociology of Religion.
Introduction
The city of Qom is one of the main religious centers in Iran, housing numerous religious spaces and places. Each of these sites has its own specific forms of rituals, ceremonies, and sacred times. In this research, four of Qom's primary religious fields have been selected, and an effort is made to examine the relationship between individuals' religious experiences and each of these sacred fields, as well as the influence they have on one another. The study aims to show how the Objective and subjective manifestations within a sacred space shape individuals' perception and understanding of the sacred, and conversely, how their actions, values, goals, and insights contribute to the construction of the sacred space.
Literature Review
A review of previous studies reveals that the dimension of experience is a key aspect of religiosity. Moreover, paying attention to the concept of sacred place and space is a crucial point, where religious experience plays a significant role in this relationship. Regarding research on the city of Qom, we found that most studies assume a uniform and homogeneous form of religiosity, and no research has been conducted on the relationship between religious experience and the various sacred spaces in this city. The review of the literature highlights the need for a qualitative study, considering the diversity of religious experiences, with a focus on Qom's religious spaces.
Methodology
In this qualitative study, four main religious fields in the city of Qom were examined. Semi-structured interviews and observation were used as research tools. The interviewees consisted of twenty individuals over the age of twenty who had a deep and unique connection with each of these sites and, according to their own accounts, had specific religious experiences. The data collected through observation and interviews were then analyzed using thematic analysis. Thematic patterns were identified within the large volume of extracted data. Through summarizing extensive data and providing a detailed description of the gathered information, the relationship between religious experience and sacred spaces was demonstrated.
Discussion
The research findings reveal a diversity of religious experiences corresponding to the various sacred spaces in Qom. In the selected sites for this study, different forms of relationships exist between actors and sacred structures. For example, in the Shrine, a form of sanctity is observed that is closely tied to religious texts and Formal religiosity. In the Jamkaran Mosque, stories, actions, and myths with a religious theme have transformed into popular forms of practice, primarily embraced by non-clerical individuals and ordinary people. The general public, who often lack a deep understanding of religion, interpret and practice their faith according to their own preferences, needs, and understanding.In other locations, due to the interaction of various elements and the multifunctional nature of these spaces, the distinction between sacred and non-sacred is not as clearly visible. These spaces, while maintaining their sacred identity, also accommodate non-sacred elements.
Conclusion
It appears that religious experience and sacred space have a reciprocal and highly impactful relationship with one another. On one hand, sacred spaces deepen individuals' spiritual experiences and enhance their faith. On the other hand, what transforms a religious site into a sacred space is the agency and actions of the individuals who, with their faith, emotions, beliefs, and perceptions, imbue a religious site with sanctity and create a divine atmosphere.In this study, by focusing on the four recognized sacred sites, we paid attention to the diversity of spaces and experiences. We found that each site has its own rules, rituals, elements, and actions. Some of these aspects result from the interaction and mutual influence between individuals, manifesting as external expressions of personal beliefs and interpretations. Others are shaped by obligatory structures and rules derived from religious tradition, within which individuals form their sacred understanding.Therefore, it can be said that there is not a single, uniform template for religious experience across all sacred spaces. In each sacred space, dynamic and unique interactions occur, leading to various and distinct forms of religious experience. From the perspective of religious experience, the sanctity of a space can be entirely personal and unique, meaning that one space may hold a particular form and level of sacredness for an individual or group, while other spaces may carry the same significance for others.
کلیدواژه‌ها [English]
- Religious Experience
- Sacred Space
- Sacred Order
- Social Structure of Religion
- Sociology of Religion
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