This review examines David Thurfjell’s ethnographic study of ritual life among devout Shīʿī men in contemporary Iran, focusing on the concept of “ritualisation” as both a mechanism of continuity and a space for individual creativity. Through detailed analysis of the lives of five Basij-affiliated individuals in Isfahan, the book explores how ritual practices shape moral embodiment, emotional experience, and communal identity. The review highlights the author’s nuanced treatment of themes such as the embodiment of virtue, the role of sorrow and suffering in ritual practice, and the interaction between individual agency and structures of religious authority. It emphasises the work’s contribution to understanding how even highly conservative religious actors actively interpret and personalise their ritual lives, challenging simplistic portrayals of such groups.