The Social Construction of The Sacredness of Imam Lapeo’s Tomb Within The Pilgrimage Practices of The Mandar Community

Abstract

Pilgrimage to the tombs of saints (wali) is a socio-religious practice that highlights the interplay between religious belief, individual experience, the authority of religious scholars (ulama), and the reproduction of tradition within Muslim society. This study aims to explain the social construction of the sacredness of Imam Lapeo’s tomb within the pilgrimage practices of the Mandar community, focusing on the processes through which the meaning of divine blessing (barakah) is formed, religious legitimacy is established, and traditions are transmitted. Data concerning the pilgrimage to Imam Lapeo’s tomb are analyzed through the lens of Peter L. Berger and Thomas Luckmann’s theory of social construction—specifically their concepts of externalization, objectivation, and internalization. The analysis shows that the sacredness of Imam Lapeo’s tomb is a socio-religious reality, shaped and sustained through interconnected processes. First, ritual actions allow pilgrims to express their religious beliefs, reverence, and hopes in their daily lives. Second, narratives regarding Imam Lapeo's piety, accounts of barakah, and the recognition of his status as an annangguru (a revered religious teacher/leader) provide the legitimacy for the veneration of his tomb. Third, his family's involvement, the teachings of religious figures, and community activities serve as channels for transmitting knowledge and pilgrimage practices. This analysis shows that a tomb's sacredness cannot be reduced to its physical characteristics; it must be understood through the relationship between religious experience, social recognition, and the reproduction of religious knowledge.