Phenomenological Study of Female Pilgrimage (Case Study: Imamzadeh Mohsen ibn Musa ibn Jaʿfar (as))

Half of human societies are made up of women, whereas in the past, women were excluded from social presence for traditional reasons and were considered as second degree; thus, feminine social actions are meaningful. In addition, women are responsible for raising children and will play a greater role than men in socializing the next generation. Among the social actions of women are religious actions. Women are always more religious than men in terms of beliefs and behavior, and they are more common in religious places. In this regard, the study of "female pilgrimage" is important. In this article, with a phenomenological approach and using the techniques of observation, interview and study of women's pilgrimage documents in the shrine of Imamzadeh [offspring or descendant of an imam] Mohsen ibn Musa ibn Jaʿfar (as), which has been welcomed due to its attribution to Imam Riḍā (as), has been studied anthropologically. According to the obtained results, pilgrimage in the "lived experience" of women in terms of meaning and self-awareness, includes the functions of "need-seeking", "healing", "duty-bearing", "symbolic replacement", "material exchange", "self-fulfillment", "Absolute Solidarity" and "Thanksgiving". And according to the researcher's semantics with the ethical approach, it includes the meanings of "sanctification", "idealism", "empathy", "gaining religious experience", "motivational integration" and "irrefutability".