Voice of British Muslim Women

Iffat Mirza Rashid, Bentley

Certain debates seem to arise out of nowhere. And though as a fairly indignant teenager I would have bothered arguing about (quite literally!) anything, until the cows came home, now I find myself learning to pick and choose my battles. Having said that, I think it’s important to address certain non-issues, still, just as a reminder that not everything will be taken lying down.

The latest non-issue to become an issue is the motion tabled in the UK parliament to ban first-cousin marriages. It is another string of non-issues to be brought up out of nowhere, which, after all is said and done, do nothing but paint Muslims as backwards and wrong. But the reality is that a large part of the world’s population takes no issue with consanguine marriages, and indeed, up until very recently, even here in England there was no taboo regarding this (never mind the fact that most of the European monarchies have engaged in such marriages). But now it seems that scientific evidence is being exaggerated for no real reason other than to stir up trouble where there is none.

Studies have shown that whilst there is, in some cases, a slight elevated risk of children born of such marriages having some birth defects, that there are similar cases in women over 35 having children (Chinthapalli, K., 2013), or women with poor diets, who may have a history of smoking or drinking alcohol. Would the government ever think of even suggesting that a woman over the age of 35 should not have children? Absolutely not! It would be preposterous, insensitive, and downright wrong. So, why the pressure on first-cousin marriages? It is nothing but a curtailing of basic freedoms, which may seem light now, but will soon snowball into something really quite ugly. Are we thinking, as a government, to ban alcohol consumption? Despite there being extensive evidence of the harm this has on all aspects of society, not just unborn children? Again, no objection in sight. Surely, alcohol consumption also causes a huge strain on the NHS – I am yet to see this argument be used in order to re-evaluate our societal attitudes towards alcohol. But no, such reservations and criticisms are reserved for cultures and people who do not always conform to a singular way of life. It is, in every sense, a non-issue.

But am I surprised? Of course not. One of my favourite theorists, Edward Said, wrote: “From the beginning of Western speculation about the Orient, the one thing the Orient could not do was to represent itself. Evidence of the Orient was credible only after it had passed through the refining fire of the Orientalist’s work.” (Orientalism, p. 283)

And this is why I think, even if this is a non-issue, that I must still say something because I refuse for others to speak for non-Western cultures and cultural practices. It’s crucial to distinguish between genuine public health concerns and thinly veiled attempts to frame cultural practices as inherently inferior or dangerous. Policies and debates rooted in such biases serve only to perpetuate divisive narratives and bolster existing stereotypes about Muslims and other minority communities.

In reality, these issues are distractions from more pressing concerns. Our healthcare system is under immense strain, and the cost of living continues to rise. Yet, instead of addressing these tangible challenges, the spotlight is placed on cultural practices that have little bearing on broader societal problems. This misplaced prioritisation does nothing but fuel prejudice and create an “us versus them” dynamic that is neither productive nor fair.

Ultimately, this is a question of who gets to shape the narrative. If debates like these continue unchecked, they risk normalising the idea that some cultures are inherently flawed or in need of “saving.” Such narratives, though they may not cause real legislative change, succeed in sowing further divides in society. Last August we saw the impact of such divisive language culminating in mob violence up and down the country. We must really pause and evaluate if such debates are helping or harming our society.