The Analysis Of The Concept Of Holy İn Mircea Eliade And The Example Of Mawlid An-Nabi As A Commodification Element

The phenomenon of holy time, which appears in different ways in almost all the religious traditions, has arisen with the ritual application of certain days and nights considered holy in today's Muslim societies. Celebrations and ceremonies organized due to the birth of Prophet Muhammed (S.A.V.) are held under the names of "Holy Birth" and "Mawlid al-Nabi" as an expression of the love and respect for him. The aim of this article is to examine the relationship between "holy" and "non-religious/profane" attributed to holy nights over the "holy" concept analysis of Mircea Eliade, who conducted studies on the history of religions, and to investigate how the religious ceremonies held at holy nights are reflected on the religious beliefs of the individuals within the daily life. Qualitative research technique was used in the research and focus group interviews were conducted with a group of participants. The sampling of the study consists of 13 students studying in the undergraduate and graduate fields of Istanbul Sabahattin Zaim University. In this context, it was approached and interpreted within the frame of the empirical findings to what extent the activities of the Holy Birth Week, which constitute the field of study of specifically the research, holistically the holy nights, brought the individuals of the society together, to what extent the consumption society and religious values were subjected to commodification through celebrations and symbols, to what extent the religious rituals eliminate and develop the conflicts and otherization in the society. Accordingly, it was revealed that celebrations and religious symbols are manifested in the form of individual experience of religion, which is a sacred reality which individuals approach with pre-assumptions. The Mawlid tradition has been perceived as an indicator of loyalty to the teachings of Prophet Muhammed (S.A.V.), respect for his divine duty and piety.

Keywords

Holy, Holy Time, Ritual, Religion, Holy Night, Commodıfıcatıon, Holy Birth