The place of sacrifice: qurbani and transnational circuits among Bangladeshis in Lisbon

Abstract

One of the recurring themes in the literature of migration and the South Asian diasporas is the dynamics of religion. The triangular relationship between religion, countries of origin, and host countries is an important field of research. This article seeks to engage with this literature through a case study involving qurbani, a sacrificial ritual which takes place at the end of the pilgrimage to Mecca (the hajj), among Bengali muslims in Lisbon. In the article I argue that in performing this ceremony these migrants (re)produce places and spaces of belonging in a transnational context.