The Islamic world contains a rich heritage which is the result of a vast far-flung empire that encompasses Southern Europe and North Africa and extends from the Middle East to the margins of Southern Asia. After Prophet Muhammad’s (peace be upon him (PBUH)) death in 632 ce the four Rashidun Caliphs directly succeeded Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) as leaders of the Muslim community. The Rashidun caliphate started a large empire (632–661 ce), which reached its zenith during Umayyad’s dynasty (661–750 ce). These reigns were followed by the Abbasid Caliphate (750–1258 ce) and the Fatimid Caliphate (909–1269) which marked the beginning of the end. Needless to say, the Islamic world developed its own forms of displacement, pilgrimages and discovery travel earlier than the theorists of tourism precluded.Let's take a look at the main outcomes of the specialized literature in the fields of pilgrimage tourism and Islamic tourism. The current literature is limited to understanding tourism in a religious context simply because this is based on the previous assumption of the association between tourism and the maximization of pleasure, and between religion and faith. This echoes the need to reconsider the sacred–profane continuum, the role of visitors and the contextual framework of religious sites.Within the ever-changing global political landscapes, religion has retained a significant place as a social movement with complexity of structures and functions that pervades cultures and traditions. It is clear that while there is no single or simple definition of the complex concept of religion, it is a system of recognizable beliefs and practices that acknowledges the existence of a super-human power and enables people to both address and transcend the problem of life. In addition, frustrated First World citizens look for new experiences, more associated with authenticity that ushers the industry into a climate of fictionalization or fabrication of cultural spectacles. This escalates in a cultural competition which distorts the real message of religion (Source: Islamic Motivation for Tourism).
Rituals the Symbolic Element of Religious Journey
