Theology of Resistance from Arbaeen to the Advent: Collective Becoming-Toward-Meaning
Abstract:
In an epoch characterized by the fragmentation of meaning and its reduction to atomistic, individualistic experience, this article posits a theology of resistance as a profound framework for understanding meaning as an inherently collective and transcendent phenomenon. We contend that resistance, far from being the exclusive domain of revolutionaries, Shi'a Muslims, or even believers, constitutes an open, dynamic horizon—a universal human endeavor for justice, dignity, and ultimate transcendence.Through an in-depth phenomenological analysis of Arbaeen—the world's largest annual peaceful gathering—this study elucidates how collective ritual, sacrificial praxis, and shared existential experience not only forge profound solidarity but also actively construct and cultivate a living, evolving meaning. The symbolic journey from Najaf to Karbala is interpreted as a communal "becoming-meaning"—a transformative movement where the participants are simultaneously the audacious seekers and the very embodiment of meaning itself.Drawing upon the fertile intersections of existential phenomenology, logotherapy, Islamic eschatology, and the metaphysics of becoming, this article rigorously conceptualizes "collective becoming-toward-meaning" as the theological and ontological essence of resistance. The teleological trajectory from Arbaeen to the Advent (of the awaited savior) is not merely a historical succession but an ontological flow—a continuous, collective efflorescence of meaning that radically resists the pervasive forces of fragmentation, reifying materialism, and existential alienation.This theology, therefore, serves as an urgent invitation to reimagine resistance not merely as an act, but as a mode of being and a style of life—one deeply rooted in self-transcending love, sacrificial devotion, and shared transcendence. It offers a powerful counter-narrative, forging a third path beyond the atomizing tendencies of liberal individualism and the reductive perils of collectivist universalism.
Keywords: Theology of Resistance, Collective Becoming, Arbaeen Phenomenology, Islamic Eschatology, Collective Meaning Therapy
Chapter 1: Introduction and Problem Statement
1.1 Background and Significance of the Study: In contemporary times, meaning has increasingly become fragmented, reduced to atomistic, individualistic experiences shaped by the forces of modernity and secularism (Taylor, 1989; Bauman, 2000). The erosion of collective meaning has led to existential alienation, nihilism, and a crisis of purpose at both individual and social levels (Frankl, 1963/2006; Taylor, 2016). Amidst this landscape, resistance emerges not merely as a political or social reaction but as a profound ontological and theological phenomenon—an active becoming of collective meaning that transcends individual subjectivities (Deleuze, 1994; Whitehead, 1978).This study focuses on the Theology of Resistance, understood as a dynamic and ontological process of collective becoming-toward-meaning. Unlike reductionist interpretations that confine resistance to political revolutionaries or specific religious groups, this framework recognizes resistance as an open existential horizon accessible to all humans yearning for justice, dignity, and transcendence (Agamben, 2019; Frankl, 1963/2006).
1.2 Research Problem and Objectives: While much scholarship explores resistance in political, social, and even theological terms, there remains a lacuna in articulating resistance as a process of collective becoming rooted in lived experience and metaphysical transformation. This gap is especially evident in the context of Shi'a Islamic thought and practice, where rituals like Arbaeen serve as powerful but understudied loci of collective meaning construction.The central research questions are: How can resistance be reconceptualized ontologically as a process of collective becoming-toward-meaning? In what ways does the Arbaeen pilgrimage exemplify this collective becoming and what theological implications does it hold for the Shi'a eschatological horizon of the Advent? How can integrating existential phenomenology, logotherapy, and Islamic eschatology enrich our understanding of resistance as a lived, embodied practice?
1.3 Structure of the Study;To address these questions, this article proceeds as follows:Chapter 2 reviews key theoretical frameworks including the metaphysics of becoming (Deleuze, 1994; Whitehead, 1978), logotherapy and collective meaning (Frankl, 1963/2006), and Islamic eschatology and theology of resistance (Madrasi, 2014; Nasr, 2006).Chapter 3 develops the conceptualization of resistance as an ontological and theological process of collective becoming.Chapter 4 offers a phenomenological analysis of the Arbaeen pilgrimage as an embodied, collective ritual of meaning-making.Chapter 5 explores the eschatological significance of collective becoming in relation to the Shi'a expectation of the Advent (Imam Mahdi).Chapter 6 reflects on the practical and ethical implications for a resistance theology that informs a new style of communal life.
1.4 Significance and Contribution: This study contributes to the interdisciplinary field of philosophy, theology, and religious studies by offering a novel interpretation of resistance as an ontological process of collective meaning-becoming, grounded in the rich religious and cultural context of Shi'a Islam. It also offers a counter-narrative to dominant Western paradigms that emphasize atomistic individualism or reductive collectivism, proposing instead a dynamic, participatory model of meaning grounded in praxis and expectation.
Chapter 2: Theoretical Foundations and Background
2.1 Metaphysics of Becoming: The concept of becoming stands at the heart of contemporary process philosophy and ontology. Influential thinkers such as Alfred North Whitehead (1929/1978) and Gilles Deleuze (1968/1994) reject static notions of being, emphasizing instead reality as an ongoing flow of events, processes, and transformations. Whitehead’s process philosophy conceptualizes actual occasions as the fundamental units of reality, each characterized by becoming and interrelation. Deleuze’s philosophy of difference further elaborates on becoming as a creative and continuous divergence from fixed identities.In this framework, meaning is not a pre-given, static entity but an emergent and dynamic quality that unfolds through relational and temporal processes (Deleuze, 1994; Whitehead, 1978). This metaphysical orientation provides a foundation for understanding resistance not merely as opposition but as an ontological process of collective becoming.
2.2 Logotherapy and Collective Meaning: Viktor Frankl’s logotherapy (1963/2006) foregrounds meaning as the primary motivational force for human beings, especially in the face of suffering and existential crises. While traditionally focused on the individual’s search for meaning, recent interpretations have extended this framework to collective contexts, exploring how communities construct shared meanings that sustain resilience and hope (Lukas & Moreira-Almeida, 2020).The theology of resistance in this study integrates logotherapy’s insights with a broader metaphysical view, positing that collective meaning-becoming is central to human flourishing in conditions of oppression and alienation.
2.3 Islamic Eschatology and Theology of Resistance: Shi’a Islamic eschatology offers a rich theological narrative centered on the awaited savior, the Mahdi, whose advent (ظهور, Ẓuhūr) promises justice and restoration. The notion of intizār (انتظار, waiting) is not passive but a dynamic state of spiritual and social preparation, closely linked to resistance against tyranny and injustice (Madrasi, 2014; Nasr, 2006).The concept of resistance in Shi’a thought is deeply intertwined with eschatological hope and collective agency, providing a theological paradigm for interpreting socio-political struggles as part of a transcendent cosmic drama (Madrasi, 2014).
2.4 Phenomenology of Arbaeen: Arbaeen, the pilgrimage marking forty days after Ashura, is the largest annual peaceful gathering globally, embodying a profound collective ritual of mourning, solidarity, and meaning-making. Phenomenological approaches (Husserl, 1913/1962; Merleau-Ponty, 1945/2012) allow us to explore the lived experience of participants, revealing how bodily presence, movement, and shared practices produce a “living text” of resistance and hope.This pilgrimage manifests a collective becoming in which individual subjectivities merge into a shared horizon of meaning, symbolically reenacting and anticipating eschatological justice.
Chapter 3: Theology of Resistance as Collective Becoming-Toward-Meaning
3.1 Resistance Beyond Political or Sectarian Boundaries:Resistance in contemporary discourse is often confined to political activism or sectarian identity. However, leaders of the resistance movement have emphasized its universal and existential dimensions. Imam Khomeini (1981) articulated resistance as a divinely sanctioned struggle for justice, transcending sectarianism and uniting all oppressed peoples. Similarly, Ayatollah Khamenei (2015) frames resistance as a continuous process rooted in spiritual and moral commitment rather than mere political expediency.Martyr Morteza Motahhari (1982) elaborates on the philosophical foundations of resistance, situating it within the broader context of human dignity and divine justice. Imam Musa al-Sadr (1974) emphasized resistance as a mode of communal life, advocating for social justice, human solidarity, and collective empowerment.Seyyed Hassan Nasrallah (2018) highlights resistance as a dynamic existential project, intertwined with cultural identity and spiritual resilience, while Noam Chomsky (1999) critiques imperialism and affirms the legitimacy of resistance as a universal right of oppressed peoples.
3.2 Resistance as Ontological Process: Becoming-Toward-Meaning: These thinkers converge on understanding resistance not simply as opposition but as an active, ontological becoming. Resistance is a process of meaning-making wherein communities enact their existential will toward justice and dignity (Motahhari, 1982; Nasrallah, 2018). This process transcends temporal constraints, linking the present struggle with eschatological hope and collective destiny (Khomeini, 1981; Madrasi, 2014). Ayatollah Khamenei (2015) eloquently describes resistance as a "style of life" infused with love, sacrifice, and ongoing renewal—a vivid manifestation of collective becoming that sustains hope in the face of oppression.
3.3 Embodied Praxis and Collective Meaning: Resistance is deeply embodied, enacted through rituals, social practices, and communal solidarity. The physical and symbolic dimensions of resistance—such as participation in processions, mourning ceremonies, and grassroots mobilization—are key to cultivating collective meaning and ontological transformation (Nasrallah, 2018; Sadr, 1974).This embodied praxis exemplifies the living nature of resistance, not as static ideology but as a dynamic, evolving process of collective meaning-becoming.
Chapter 4: Phenomenology of Arbaeen Pilgrimage as Collective Becoming
4.1 Introduction to Arbaeen as a Lived Experience: Arbaeen, marking forty days after Ashura, is the world’s largest peaceful annual pilgrimage, drawing millions to walk from Najaf to Karbala in a profound collective act of mourning, solidarity, and resistance (Saleh, 2018). This pilgrimage embodies a living, embodied ritual that transcends religious devotion to become a phenomenon of collective becoming—where individual identities dissolve into a shared horizon of meaning and purpose.
4.2 Phenomenological Dimensions of Arbaeen: Drawing on phenomenological methodology (Husserl, 1913/1962; Merleau-Ponty, 1945/2012), the pilgrimage can be understood as an intercorporeal experience, where bodies in motion generate a collective intentionality oriented toward remembrance, sacrifice, and eschatological hope (Khosravi, 2020). Scholars such as F. L. Hoffman (2019), an American researcher who participated in the pilgrimage, describe Arbaeen as a transformative communal ritual that fosters deep social solidarity, challenges modern individualism, and reaffirms a collective identity rooted in justice and resistance.
4.3 Arbaeen and the Construction of Collective Meaning: The pilgrimage ritual integrates elements of physical endurance, mutual aid, and shared mourning, generating a unique meaning ecology (Taylor, 2016) where participants enact and embody the values of sacrifice, communal loyalty, and hope for cosmic justice (Saleh, 2018; Khosravi, 2020). This embodied praxis enables what philosopher Judith Butler (2015) terms a "performative politics of mourning"—where collective vulnerability becomes a site of resistance and becoming. Through these shared acts, the community not only commemorates the martyrdom of Imam Hussain but actively constructs a living theology of resistance and hope.
4.4 International Perspectives on Arbaeen: Arbaeen’s significance has attracted global scholarly and media attention. For instance, Martin Kramer (2019) highlights its role as a powerful symbol of Shia identity and political resistance in the Middle East. Sociologist Asef Bayat (2015) examines Arbaeen as an example of “quiet encroachment” —a form of grassroots social change enacted through collective ritual. Western journalists and participants, such as Robert Fisk (2014) and Patrick Cockburn (2015), have documented the pilgrimage’s scale and spiritual intensity, noting its profound social and political implications beyond sectarian boundaries.
Chapter 5: The Advent as the Eschatological Horizon of Collective Meaning
5.1 Beyond Sectarian Eschatology: Toward a Shared Human Horizon.The idea of a final deliverance—a world redeemed from injustice, alienation, and despair—is not exclusive to Shi’a Islam. Across religious traditions and philosophical systems, we find eschatological visions that promise the realization of a world infused with justice, love, and wholeness. In Christianity, this takes the form of the Second Coming of Christ; in Judaism, the arrival of the Mashiach; in Hinduism, the Kalki Avatar; in Buddhism, the coming of Maitreya; and in Islam, the awaited Mahdi (Nasr, 2006; Küng, 1993).These visions—though theologically distinct—share a deep anthropological and existential core: the hope for a restoration of meaning, for the healing of the broken world, and for a just human future (Taylor, 2016; Moltmann, 1996).
5.2 Intizar (Waiting) as Existential and Ontological Practice.In Shi’a theology, intizar (waiting) is not passive resignation but an active, transformative practice of ethical readiness and social engagement (Madrasi, 2014; Khamenei, 2015). It involves building the world that is worthy of the awaited one. Similarly, in Christian liberation theology, “preparing the way of the Lord” means engaging in the struggles of the poor and marginalized (Gutiérrez, 1983).The ontology of waiting is thus shared: it is an orientation toward the not-yet, animated by justice, solidarity, and meaning-making. This existential openness connects diverse traditions and communities who—while differing in doctrine—walk together in the direction of hope.
5.3 The Advent as the Culmination of Collective Becoming.The theology of resistance posits that the final advent (ẓuhūr) is not a sudden rupture from above but the culmination of a becoming-from-below—an organic, collective unfolding toward justice and meaning (Whitehead, 1978; Frankl, 2006). The communities that walk the Arbaeen path, the protestors who fight oppression, the monks who dedicate their lives to compassion—all participate in this cosmic process of co-creating meaning.This eschatological vision is deeply inclusive: those who walk in the direction of the Good—regardless of creed—are co-pilgrims in the journey of becoming. As Seyyed Hossein Nasr (2006) notes, true religiosity always points beyond itself, toward the One, the True, the Just.
5.4 Toward a Global Theology of Resistance and Hope. In the face of rising nihilism, ecological collapse, and spiritual fragmentation, the eschatological horizon of collective becoming-toward-meaning offers a new universal paradigm—one that connects East and West, faith and reason, tradition and transformation.Arbaeen, in this light, is not merely a Shi’a ritual, but a proto-global ritual of resistance and hope. Its values—mutual care, mourning for the oppressed, walking toward meaning—resonate with indigenous traditions, liberationist movements, and even postsecular philosophies (Butler, 2015; Zizek, 2012).
Chapter 6: Resistance as a Way of Being and the Seed of a New Civilization
6.1 The Archeology of Resistance: From the Prophets to the Oppressed.Resistance, in its deepest form, is as ancient as the human spirit. From the Exodus of Moses and the crossing of the Nile (Exodus 14), to Noah’s ark as salvation against corruption (Genesis 6), to the martyrdom of Husayn in Karbala, sacred history is suffused with episodes of faithful defiance against unjust power.This lineage of resistance includes not only prophets and saints, but also unknown, unnamed communities of the oppressed—those whom liberation theology calls los crucificados de la historia (the crucified of history) (Gutiérrez, 1983).Their spiritual descendants live on in diverse modern struggles: The Liberation Theology of Latin America, where priests and peasants resisted imperialism through grassroots Christianity (Moltmann, 1996).The Black civil rights movement (e.g., Dr. King) with its roots in biblical justice.The nonviolent resistance of Gandhi and the spiritual Satyagraha of Hindus and Jains.The Zapatista communities in Mexico.The Sarajevo resistance during the Bosnian genocide.The Red Indians, and indigenous land defenders resisting erasure. The people of Gaza and Hezbollah, resisting occupation under siege.These movements—whether religious or not—share an ontological essence: > Resistance is the will to meaning, justice, and collective dignity.
6.2 Resistance as a Spiritual and Civilizational Ethos.True resistance is not reducible to war, politics, or ideology. It is a style of life, a spiritual disposition, and a refusal to normalize injustice. Ayatollah Khamenei (2015) describes resistance as “a civilization in the making” — a movement that not only confronts domination but builds alternative futures rooted in love, cooperation, and transcendence. Similarly, Cornel West (2004) speaks of “prophetic pragmatism” — living in hope despite despair. In this view, resistance is a seed planted in the ashes of destruction, destined to grow into a new form of being-together. The Arbaeen pilgrimage is a symbol of this: not just a march of mourning, but a rehearsal of post-capitalist, post-individualist, post-imperial life.
6.3 Resistance as a Mode of Collective Flourishing.When resistance is rooted in meaning, it ceases to be reactive and becomes generative. It creates: Ethics: of sacrifice, solidarity, and shared joy.Aesthetics: of communal rituals, art, poetry, and martyrdom.Epistemology: of lived knowledge, experiential wisdom, and embodied truth.Ecology: of life against destruction, gardens in warzones, food in blockades.Economy: of fairness, generosity, and anti-greed. This is not utopia—it is the beginnings of a new world, visible in the smallest acts of dignity: a mother who raises her child in the rubble; a mourner who shares her food; a walker who walks, even limping, toward Karbala.
Conclusion:
Toward the Horizon of Meaning — Resistance as the Dawn of a New Humanity
In an age saturated with fragmentation, loneliness, and nihilism, this study has attempted to recover a forgotten truth: meaning is not a solitary possession, but a shared becoming. We have argued that resistance, in its deepest ontological and theological sense, is not mere opposition to injustice—it is the collective act of walking toward meaning. From the prophetic uprisings of Moses and Jesus to the martyrdom of Hussain, from the resistance of black slaves in America to the barefoot pilgrims of Arbaeen, humanity has always expressed its longing for wholeness through the path of sacred defiance. This longing is not naïve hope—it is existential realism: the recognition that what is is not all there is; that the world can be otherwise, and that it must be. The Arbaeen pilgrimage emerged in this work not as a local ritual, but as a proto-global paradigm—a spiritual rehearsal for a world based not on greed, fear, and isolation, but on love, sacrifice, and shared destiny. In Arbaeen, bodies walk together not to arrive, but to become; not to consume, but to remember; not to escape, but to co-create a horizon of justice.In this vision, the advent of the awaited savior is not merely an event to come—it is a direction to be walked, a horizon to be constructed with every act of resistance, every whisper of prayer, every drop of love poured into a tired fellow traveler’s hands.And so, what we call “the theology of resistance” is in truth the anthropology of hope—a map of how broken human beings, walking together, become whole again.This is not utopia; this is possible.This is not someday; this is already becoming.And in this becoming—step by step, soul by soul—meaning returns to the world.
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