The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community of Doncaster has spoken out against the Marriage (Prohibited Degrees of Relationship) Bill proposed by Richard Holden MP that is due for Second Reading on 17 January 2025 calling it unnecessary and damaging.

The bill seeks to ban first-cousin marriages on the basis of the 2013 Born in Bradford study, despite the study finding that the absolute risk was “small” and no greater than the health risk from a woman over 34 years old having a child.

The study (as reported in The Lancet, Volume 382, Issue 9901) also stated that "…the vast majority of babies born to couples who are blood relatives are absolutely fine”.

Islam, like various other major religions, permits marriage amongst cousins and in a democracy, where religious freedom and autonomy are prized and valued, it is an overreach and unnecessary interference in the freedom of choice of the individual and autonomy to ban cousin marriages.

In snowy Doncaster, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Association Doncaster extended a warm gesture to the local community today by offering free tea and refreshments at the Baitul Baseer Mosque in Edlington. The message displayed at the station read: “When life gives you snow, have tea together,” symbolising the spirit of unity and resilience. The initiative served as a reminder that, whatever the circumstances, we must come together, a spokesman said.

Marriages within extended families (eg cousins) often are a means of providing support, stability and love within the family unit that greatly benefit the development children of the married couple as they grow and develop. Such marriages can therefore be a great benefit not only for the family but also for wider society.

A ban would therefore have a significant impact on individual freedoms and social harmony.

Bilal Mahmood, President of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in Doncaster said: “If research or data suggests there is any heightened health risk associated with the children of consanguineous marriages, it is similarly proven that other factors, such as consumption of alcohol, smoking or otherwise unhealthy lifestyles, can have very adverse effects.

"Thus, if the objective is to prevent an elevated risk to children, it follows that alcohol and smoking should also be legally proscribed for those who

wish to have children.

“If legal limits are limited to ‘cousin marriage’, it would not be a stretch to suggest that this is another attempt to demonise or label the Muslim community as ‘backward’.

“The way ‘cousin marriage’ is portrayed in the media often gives rise to the impression that any consanguineous marriage must be a ‘forced’ marriage arranged by family elders without the consent of the bride and groom.

"Islam does not permit forced marriage to any degree. Rather, the verses of the Holy Quran recited at the time of Nikah (religious marriage ceremony) require both parties to be entirely truthful and disclose any information relevant to the other party’s consent. Thus, in Islam, informed consent is categorically necessary on both sides. If this is not the case, then it violates Islamic teachings and is to be condemned.”

Draft bill to ban cousin marriages would unnecessarily curb fundamental freedoms and stigmatise, says Doncaster Muslims