The Psychological Effects of Pilgrimage upon Man's Sanity and Life

Pilgrimage has been one of the Muslim's religious rituals since the Kaaba was built. Islam is a comprehensive and realist school that considers all human needs; worldly and other-worldly, physical and spiritual, rational and intellectual, emotional and personal and social. Some thinkers believe that pilgrimage has an undeniable effect on a pilgrim's spirit and body. The mechanism of this effect can be shown as follows: since pilgrimage is a combination of tendency and cognition and its main origin is man's heart it directs his desire and will and influences his behavior. Providing a clear picture of pilgrimage and pilgrimage places, and referring to the models, the paper analyzes the psychological principles of pilgrimage and its cognitive, emotional and behavioral influences, and touches on the religious environment, spiritual and psychological growth, tranquility, boosting of hope reducing anxiety, preparing the ground for repentance, reducing the rate of crime and corruption, social support and exposing man to a good example.