The Geopolitics of Arba'in and the Construction of a New Islamic Civilization

Document Type : Original Article

Author

Associate Professor, Department of Political Science and International Relations, Baqer al-Olum University, Qom, Iran

10.22081/jips.2025.72467.1089

Abstract

The Arba'in pilgrimage, as a capital for Islamic countries, with its long-standing history, especially in recent decades, has influenced the regional and global distribution of power and altered geopolitical calculations, ushering them into a new phase. The most significant geopolitical achievement of Arba'in is that it has transformed Muslim nations, which previously occupied a marginal position, into central players by leveraging their strategic location, thus creating a foundation for profound changes in the process of building the new Islamic civilization. This article, in response to the main question of what role the geopolitics of Arba'in plays in the construction of the new Islamic civilization, employs a descriptive-analytical method and uses the theoretical literature of critical geopolitics to test the hypothesis that the geopolitics of Arba'in, according to its codes—consisting of the presuppositions, principles, goals, and ideals of the Arba'in actors—has significant potential in the construction of the new Islamic civilization. These potentials are explained according to the guiding, normative, and behavioral rules. In this context, at the level of geopolitical weight and status, the evaluation and elevation of the status of Muslims in the light of Arba'in’s significance were discussed, and the concept of power accumulation, security-building, and influence was clarified. Regarding the geopolitical identity of Arba'in, three factors (place) or geography (space), networks and social relations, and (time) or history were considered. It was stated that the spiritual realm of Arba'in is not confined to the territorial borders of a single country but, like a shining sun, embraces all Muslim people. The geopolitics of Arba'in has impacted all freedom-loving humans, regardless of their ethnicity, race, or nationality. Furthermore, civil society institutions and grassroots networks have emerged spontaneously and voluntarily in collective actions to support the symbols and representations of Husayni values, playing their historical role with sincerity and spirituality in the formation of civilizational and transcendent relations within the Arba'in community. On the other hand, the long-standing history and institutionalization of this unparalleled event over time reflects the foundational roots that nourish the tree of Islamic civilization. Accordingly, the relationship between the geopolitics of Arba'in and civilization-building in terms of religious centrality, rationality, ethical transcendence, community building, and the creation of an inclusive ummah was examined. It was stated that the foundation of the new Islamic civilization is the divine values and beliefs entrusted to the great community of Arba'in. The elevated human being is the primary architect of the new Islamic civilization—humans who, based on both material and spiritual rationality, pursue divine closeness in their plans and actions. Adherence to human and elevated ethics within the Arba'in community prepares a powerful capacity for civilization-building. The formation of grassroots institutions in light of religious teachings, rational thought, and the ethics of the elevated human being illustrates capacities that can lay the groundwork for a civilizational society. This society, united by a common goal based on the deep beliefs of Arba'in, creates an inclusive ummah that transcends the state-nation and geographical borders.

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Journal of Islamic Political Studies
Volume 7, Issue 1
January 2025
Pages 53-74

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