Authors
1
Imam Sadiq University
2
Faculty Member, Islamic Studies and Economics Faculty, Imam Sadiq University, Tehran, Iran.
10.30471/jee.2025.10710.2484
Abstract
The increasing presence of pilgrims from Iran at the Arbaeen ceremony has led the government to consider itself obligated to provide infrastructural, welfare, and cultural services. Naturally, the majority of pilgrims also expect the government to play a role in this area. Therefore, in practice, we have witnessed a set of policy, supportive, and executive actions by the government, including the establishment of transportation, telecommunications, and water supply infrastructures; ensuring the security of pilgrims; utilizing the capacities of popular institutions (especially religious groups) in service provision; facilitating border crossings; and directly offering welfare services such as accommodation, food, and water.
On the other hand, in recent years, some challenges have been observed in delivering optimal services, one of the reasons being financial supply issues and challenges. The present research attempts to identify and evaluate those funding-related challenges that have arisen due to the specific characteristics of the government's role in this event.
Accordingly, using the fuzzy Delphi method and through interviews with 13 experts in this field, 21 components have been identified as damages or weaknesses in the government's participation in financing Arbaeen, classified into three categories: institutional, infrastructural, and cultural. The results indicate that institutional damages are of the greatest importance, followed by cultural damages, and then infrastructural damages. Among the institutional damages, inefficiency and lack of a long-term perspective in the government's financial decisions for Arbaeen are the most significant damage; among cultural damages, insufficient attention to the norms, values, and motivational system of Arbaeen is the most important; and among infrastructural damages, insufficient utilization of the capacities of popular resources is recognized as the most critical damage.
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