The Pilgrimage to Mecca: Journey, Landscapes, and Naturalistic Observations in the Account of Sakine Solṭān
Abstract
This essay examines the 1899 pilgrimage to Mecca undertaken by Sakine Solṭān Vaqār od-Dowle, widow of Nāṣer ed-Din Shāh, and explores how she recorded her extensive travels through Shiite shrines in Iraq, the Arabian Peninsula, and Persia by 1901. Her writings offer rare insights into Muslim female mobility and self-representation.
Submitted: Sept. 8, 2025 | Accepted: Sept. 29, 2025 | Published Dec. 15, 2025 | Language: en
Keywords Qajar dynasty • Landscape • Iranian women • Travel account • Ḥajj
Copyright © 2025 Leila Karami. This is an open-access work distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction is permitted, provided that the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. The license allows for commercial use. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
Permalink http://doi.org/10.30687/979-12-5742-006-2/011