The hajj event in terms of expectations and results (Denizli example)

Religion is one of the fundamental institutions of society, and there is a strong relationship between society and religion. Religion is an effective element in the process of social change. It provides a structure that ensures the peace of individuals and families, and supports social peace and happiness. Religion plays a constant role in shaping life by offering its believers a worldview and lifestyle. At the same time, it removes the negativities and evil that disturb people and encourages values such as rights, justice, mercy and compassion to be established in individuals' consciences and behaviors. Religion sometimes provides stability by resisting social changes and protects the unity and order of society. In this context, religion has various functions in social life. The practices of religion, which include worship, play an important role in the implementation of these functions. Worship enables individuals to reach moral maturity on a basis that strengthens values such as submission to Allah, brotherhood and solidarity, and supports compliance with social norms. Hajj, one of the fundamental worships of Islam, has a social dimension in addition to its feature of providing individual change. Hajj is a universal event that brings together believers for the same purpose and contributes to the formation of a collective consciousness through communication and interaction. In many belief systems, sacred places and temples are seen to have a special meaning for believers. In this respect, Hajj exhibits a universal quality and goes beyond being a mere religious ritual and becomes a phenomenon with individual and social reflections.The main purpose of this study is to examine the effects of Hajj on individuals' personalities, emotions, thoughts, habits and behaviors and to evaluate them from a sociological perspective.