Umrah Trends: Question Between Following Sunna and Spiritual Tourism

Abstrak

Spiritual tourism is not a new phenomenon. It has been studied from tourism perspectives. However, when the tourism became a global trend of religious expression, the perspective of the sociology of religion get its place. In Indonesia, although Muslims perform hajj, visiting and praying in famous cemeteries (ziyāra), and umrah are also included into this trip. Spiritual tourism at the same time has affected and has been affected by religious views, including the understanding of what is referred to as Sunna. This condition has enfolded how umrah is performed as a social trend today. By looking at the concept of spiritual tourism from sociological perspective, this paper further utilizes umrah and hajj travel agencies’ angle in seeing of what is so called Sunna, and how it has influenced the performance of umrah. The study demonstrates the important role of travel agencies in forming a strategy to attract pilgrims by two steps: by binding umrah as a recreation/travel and placing it as a modern distinctive way of worship.